Soul of a Dragon
by HotTopicLuver
Summary: Cloudjumper breaks into the Haddock house without realizing it, however when he comes across a baby named Hiccup with an unusual liking and understanding of dragons fate will change for both of them. Cloudjumper takes Hiccup back to the Dragon Sanctuary in order for him to be raised amongst the dragons, there Hiccup will see where his destiny lies.
1. Chapter 1

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 1**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking_ \- human thoughts

 ** _thinking_ \- dragon thoughts**

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon** **or any of its characters**

The roars of dragons filled the air and fire erupted among the houses in Berk, which only meant one thing. A dragon raid was occurring! Vikings started to scatter all over their homeland, trying to protect their families and their livestock from the clutches of the dragons.

"Get the weapons! Hurry!" one Viking yelled.

"Take the children inside!" screamed another.

"Kill as many of the beasts you can!" Chief Stoick the Vast announced, his voice drenched with hate and disgust towards the dragons.

A Stormcutter named Cloudjumper made his way through the village known as Berk, soaring over the little houses and the ant sized people. He sniffed the air for food once he landed next to a house that had a structure different from the others.

 **"Someone important must live here. It's not like the others,"** he assumed.

Little did he know he was about to break into the house of the chief while the heir of Berk quietly slept in his cradle. Cloudjumper carefully stuck his scaly body into the structure and sniffed once again, he let out a disappointed snarl when he couldn't find anything of worth to his kind. Just as he was about to take his leave that's when he heard it. The curious gurgles of a baby.

The poor little one was awoken from his sleep and that's when he saw the large creature that loomed over his cradle. Hiccup, that was the baby's name due to the fact that he was born prematurely. Hiccup waved his hands in the air as if to tell the dragon to come closer so he could see him.

Cloudjumper did just that, he leaned in closer to the baby. He got a good look at the little one and what he saw amazed his dragon eyes. There in the wooden cradle was a tiny infant that was swaddled in a fur blanket. The baby had a patch of brown hair on his delicate head and green eyes that resembled the lush trees of a forest. He also possessed small freckles on his cheeks; everything about him was adorable.

 _ **A hatchling! A human's hatchling! I've seen some before but never this close.**_

The baby giggled in delight once he finally got the dragon's attention and continued to wave his arms in the air. Cloudjumper placed one of his claws inside the cradle and into the tiny hand that awaited it. He was careful not to hurt Hiccup.

 _ **What a strange yet interesting hatching. He shows no fear towards me… a dragon.**_

Hiccup held the large claw in his small, fragile hand; he looked into the owl-like eyes of the dragon in awe. Cloudjumper looked into Hiccup's forest green eyes as well. At that very instant it felt like their souls were connected in a way that can't be described.

 _ **He won't be like the other Vikings, his eyes show that he will not be a killer for they are full of compassion and love.** _

Just then Cloudjumper was startled by the sound of someone entering the house behind him. His moment with the young baby was interrupted by the infant's mother: Valka. In his recklessness he accidentally scratched Hiccup's chin. The baby let out a wail of pain and sorrow as Cloudjumper turned to face his opponent

"Hiccup!" she yelled as she held up her weapon with the intention of killing the beast that hurt her son.

 **"That was your fault! If you hadn't startled me I would've have hurt him!"** Cloudjumper shouted in dragonese.

Hiccup suddenly stopped crying and gave the Stormcutter a look of confusion. Cloudjumper took notice of this as Valka swung her weapon but missed him.

 **"Did he understand me? No that can't be… he's a human… humans can't understand dragonese,"** Cloudjumper said.

Cloudjumper's assumption was correct though, Hiccup listened to the heated exchange between his mother and the Stormcutter. He understood and processed each word that was spoken from both sides. He understood the words being spoken from the dragon. Something that was never heard of before, a human that could comprehend the language of the dragons as well as the language of his own kind. Hiccup was truly not like the other Vikings.

Just then the structure of the house started to break down and the debris hit the wooden floor. Fire erupted from the ceiling as well as the surrounding walls encompassing them. Valka dropped her weapon and covered her face with her arms as Cloudjumper moved out of the way. Hiccup started to fuss again; Cloudjumper placed his wings around the cradle and placed his mouth on the baby's fur blanket.

"No! Don't eat him!" Valka cried out through the falling debris and struggled to make it pass the scorching flames that continued to make its way through the house. "Hiccup!"

"Valka!" the voice of the chief called to her. "Valka! I'm coming for you!"

Stoick made his way to Valka and carefully rushed her out the house. He turned his head just in time to see Cloudjumper take off into the sky. Once they were outside Valka started to cough and sank to the ground, tears gushing out her eyes. Stoick placed himself next to her and comforted her not knowing what had just occurred.

"Valka? What's wrong?" Stoick questioned, just then he realized that she didn't have their infant son in her arms. "Where's Hiccup." He asked hesitantly afraid of the answer.

"Hiccup… Hiccup… my baby… is gone," Valka cried.

Stoick's expression turned from worry to sorrow then to rage, he let out a strong cry and clutched his hammer tighter. Tears filled his eyes but he refused to let them out, his son was gone. Taken from his wife and himself when he was just a baby and by the dreaded beasts he has learned to hate and kill. Now his mission to cleanse the world of dragons was not only business anymore… it was personal.

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was no longer alive in the eyes of the Vikings of Berk.

However, that was not the case.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 2**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking_ \- human thoughts

 ** _thinking_ \- dragon thoughts**

 **I do no own How to Train Your Dragon** **or any of its characters**

Cloudjumper soared through the starry sky with a new little passenger in his mouth. Tiny Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was alive and well, his giggles filling the air as the wind rushed pass his face. Cloudjumper was cautious of his teeth while he carried the fur blanket in his mouth, he didn't want to injure the child like he accidentally did last time.

They flew for some time until Cloudjumper's home came into sight, the Dragon Mountain or to the dragons' the Dragon Sanctuary. He swooped down and traveled through the necessary tunnels to reach the domain of the Bewilderbeast, King of the Dragons. Normally the sanctuary was a way for the dragons to escape the eyes of the humans and live together with other species of dragon in harmony. However, this time would be different for Cloudjumper.

 **"Hopefully the King will make an expectation for you young one. Young Hiccup."** Cloudjumper thought.

Cloudjumper reached his destination, the light of the beautiful haven created only for dragons reached his eyes. He was welcomed by a swarm of his kind as he walked out of the shadows with his guest in tow.

 **"Cloudjumper!"** a Thunderclaw named Irontalon welcomed.

 **"You've returned from your trip. You're a little late though,"** a Windstriker named Crystalscale noted.

They quickly took notice of the strange object in Cloudjumper's mouth and a look of shock spread across their faces. Cloudjumper placed Hiccup in his claws and looked up at his fellow dragons.

 **"Yes well as you can see I got a little side tracked during my trip,"** he pointed at Hiccup and the baby tried once again to catch his claw.

 **"That's a… human's hatchling,"** a Deadly Nadder named Wildstorm said. **"Why do you have a human hatchling?"**

 **"I will explain everything when I see the King,"** Cloudjumper picked up Hiccup in his mouth and made his way through the crowd of dragons.

He stopped at the Bewilderbeast's nest and placed Hiccup in front of him with his wings protectively surrounding him. The giant dragon suddenly made himself known to the other dragons and every one of them stopped what they were doing. They placed their attention on the confrontation that was about to happen between the two dragons and the human hatchling. The Bewilderbeast scanned the area and took a good glance at Cloudjumper and the baby

 **"A human hatchling,"** he rumbled. **"Cloudjumper, why have you brought a human's hatchling into our home?"**

 **"Dear King, I didn't leave the comfort of my home in order to steal anyone's hatchling. It was a mere accident that our paths crossed; I was searching for food during my trip and came across this hatchling in the village I paid visit to. At first I didn't even know he was there until he made his sounds, I approached him cautiously and he took an interest in me. He was not afraid of me."**

A gasp could be heard in the crowds of dragons, they couldn't believe that a human wasn't afraid of one of their own. Whispers erupted among them only for the Bewilderbeast to silence them by raising one of his wings.

 **"Not afraid of dragons?"** the Bewilderbeast questioned.

 **"No dear King. That's not all when his mother approached me I accidentally scratched him with my claw. That's when I let out a yell at her, he stopped crying. He understood what I was saying. I thought it was just a trick of the mind but when I said something else he only stared at me."**

 **"What?"** the Bewilderbeast asked. **"A human understood you? There hasn't been a human that has been able to understand the language of the dragon kind."**

 **"King, I felt my soul connect with his. He is not like the other humans, he's no killer just look at him."**

He moved one of his wings away from Hiccup and he came into the Bewilderbeast's view. A human hatchling with brown hair, green eyes, specks of freckles and a fresh cut on his chin lay on the grass swaddled in a fur blanket. The baby cooed happily as he saw a new dragon friend and waved his arms in the air. The Bewilderbeast leaned in closer to the baby and sniffed his scent, it was pure and innocent. His eyes… his beautiful green eyes held the same harmony s the sanctuary did. The Bewilderbeast felt as if his soul was linked to this young child.

 **"Indeed he is not like other Vikings. His soul holds a connection to the dragon kind."**

Hiccup stopped giggling and looked up at the King; it's as if he was trying to understand what he was saying. The King took note of this and it confirmed what Cloudjumper had told him about the human hatchling.

 **"With that said King, I believe this child holds the answer to how this futile war between dragons and Vikings can end. If raised properly this child could be the key to that, he will put a stop to this bloodshed and bring our species together to coexist with the other."**

Some of the dragons snorted when they heard Cloudjumper's statement for they knew it was pointless to believe that dragons and Vikings could ever learn to love and live with each other. The Bewilderbeast raised his wing once again and everyone was silent.

 **"What I say may sound like a foolish dream but I believe with all my might and soul that it will become reality. King, I beg you to let us raise this human hatchling among our kind, let him learn from the other side of the war and live with us in order to see the secrets we hold that other humans are too stubborn and ignorant to see,"** Cloudjumper laid his head down on the grass and covered Hiccup with his wing.

The King of the Dragons held his head up high and closed his eyes for several minutes, contemplating the severity of the situation. While he didn't agree with taking a human hatchling away from its home at the same time there was no denying that staying there would have destroyed the boy's innocent and the soul connections he had with the dragons. However, Cloudjumper will have to do something for the King in order to get his whole approval on the subject.

 **"Very well, the human hatchling will stay with us. He will live, eat and sleep with us and learn the culture of the dragons! Each dragon will do their part in making sure he gets the proper education and will do everything in their power to protect them as if he were a dragon himself! You, Cloudjumper, will be his primary guardian and he will be known as your son,"** the Bewilderbeast announced with pride to the dragons. **"However, there will be a condition for you Cloudjumper to ensure this deal."**

Cloudjumper immediately looked up from his place; his owl-like eyes seemed to grow wider. He was almost afraid to hear what the King had in store for him to order to make sure Hiccup would be accepted among the dragon community. He was glad that he would be Hiccup's primary caretaker and his father but what was the other part of the deal?

 **"What will that be dear King?"** he quietly asked.

 **"There is a dragon hatchling that was just born a day ago while you were on your trip. Unfortunately, the hatchling's parents were killed before he hatched from his egg. He is now an orphan and sadly the only one of his kind now. He is a Night Fury."**

 **"Poor little one,"** Cloudjumper said. **"He loses his parents and now he had no one to turn to."**

 **"Yes but that will soon change. His name is Toothless and from now on he will be your son. The human hatchling will be raised as his brother and you will raise them both as their father. Do this and the deal will be complete. Is that clear?"**

Cloudjumper felt his heart skip a beat. Not only did he become a father to one son, a human hatchling, but a father to another, a dragon hatchling, in less than a day. While he understood that there would be numerous parenting obstacles to overcome he was excited for the chance to become a father.

 **"Yes your majesty I understand well. Hiccup and Toothless will be my sons and I will be their father,"** Cloudjumper stated with dignity and pride in his voice.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 3**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking_ \- human thoughts

 ** _thinking_ \- dragon thoughts **

**I do no own How to Train Your Dragon** **or any of its characters**

Cloudjumper was lead to the Night Fury hatchling's nest by a Gronckle named Bumper, he was now charged with the task of caring for this hatchling as well. Hiccup was being carried in his mouth once again; the baby was becoming sleepy though. Cloudjumper couldn't blame him after all he had been through so much in one day but at least he didn't have to worry about the other dragons trying to hurt him. The Bewilderbeast decided that Hiccup would be raised with love and care from all the dragon species.

 **"He belongs to us now,"** Cloudjumper thought. **"He belongs to me. My son."**

 **"He is right over there,"** Bumper told Cloudjumper as he came to a stop.

Cloudjumper bowed his head as a thank you and walked pass the Gronckle; he saw the little nest that held the baby Night Fury. Cloudjumper placed Hiccup next to the nest then went to take a look at the dragon hatchling. There he was: a small black dragon with no horns, a sleek body with a blue tint to its scales, small claws with his tail wrapped around his body as a way to keep warm. His eyes were closed which meant he was sleeping but Cloudjumper had a feeling that he possessed the green eyes that all Night Furies were known for. He smelled the loneliness that emitted from this little hatchling, the pain of being the one of his kind now. It was no wonder the King wanted Cloudjumper to take him under his care.

 **"Hello Toothless,"** Cloudjumper said as he nuzzled the baby.

Toothless started to open his eyes once he felt the touch of another dragon. He blinked several times before his vision cleared and the image of a Stormcutter came into view. He gave out a confused cry and scooted back a little.

 **"There is no need to be afraid little one. I'm not going to hurt you,"** Cloudjumper bowed his head a little to show Toothless he meant no harm.

Once Toothless saw this action he scooted a little closer to the Stormcutter. Once he got close enough to his face he sniffed Cloudjumper's scent. Immediately he felt comfort that he once felt while he was inside his egg and when his parent's bodies were wrapped around it. He also felt the same kind of love that his parents had for him within Cloudjumper. Toothless let out a relaxed sigh.

 **"At least you're not afraid of me anymore,"** Cloudjumper said while he let Toothless sniff his scent. **"My name is Cloudjumper little hatchling and I'm your new father."**

Toothless registered what Cloudjumper just said and started to jump with joy around his nest. While he was still sad that he would never get to meet his biological parents at least h was no longer alone, he now had someone to love and care for him. He was so happy right now. Just then Toothless heard the yawn that emitted from little Hiccup's mouth. He turned his attention to the human hatchling he hadn't noticed before; he looked at the baby with a puzzled expression on his face.

 **"Toothless, this is Hiccup. He's a human hatchling that has just been adopted into the dragon community. He's going to be raised alongside you, you will be his brother and he will be yours."**

Toothless came closer to the human hatchling that had just been introduced to him. He sniffed the baby's hair and then his face only for Hiccup to let out a sneeze. Toothless immediately hid behind Cloudjumper's wing while Hiccup wiped his cute button nose with his tiny hand.

 **"It's alright Toothless that was just a sneeze. Hiccup won't hurt you; he's just like you after all: a hatchling."**

The Night Fury walked slowly to Hiccup after Cloudjumper said this and sat in front of him. Hiccup looked up at the Night Fury and made a small gurgle sound before he let out a cute laugh. He waved his arms a little and motioned for the Night Fury hatchling to come closer. Toothless looked at Cloudjumper as if he needed permission to approach Hiccup this time. Cloudjumper just smiled then placed his wing over Toothless, he gave Toothless a little push. Toothless accepted the small push and allowed Hiccup to touch his snout. Hiccup petted Toothless gently and caressed his snout with his delicate hands.

 **"See Toothless? He already loves you,"** Cloudjumper stated enjoying the sight he was witnessing before him.

Toothless let out a small growl as if to agree with the Stormcutter, Hiccup gigged again as if he was agreeing as well to that statement. Toothless's acid green eyes meet Hiccup's forest green eyes; their soul connection was complete just as it had been with Cloudjumper and the Bewilderbeast. Toothless nuzzled Hiccup; he showed the new found love he had for the human hatchling… his new brother. He had not only a father but a brother now. Hiccup yawned once again then rubbed his eyes with his petite fist. Toothless let out a yawn of his own while Cloudjumper let out a low chuckle.

 _ **They've just met and yet they're already acting like brothers**_.

Hiccup started to close his eyes and his breathing became relaxed and leveled out. Toothless followed suit then wrapped his body around the swaddled infant. With both of their eyes sleep overtook them and their breathing patterns matched. Cloudjumper bent his head down towards the sleeping hatchlings; he gave a quick lick to both Hiccup and Toothless at the top of their heads. Then he nuzzled the both of them before wrapping his dragon body around them as well.

 **"This is going to be a long, interesting journey for the both of them. A Night Fury and a human being raised together as brothers,"** Cloudjumper whispered to himself.

The Stormcutter couldn't help but a feel a bit of pride once he said this. He had a feeling that it was not only Hiccup who would bring the dragon and Viking worlds together but Toothless as well. The bond he had witnessed today had confirmed that in his eyes.

 **"Yes. You two are the future for both kinds, the peace that will someday become reality,"** Cloudjumper whispered. **"I look forward to that day."**

With that Cloudjumper went to sleep, his dreams were of Hiccup and Toothless. They were gliding through the sky, together as one. Their souls were untied as they flew towards the beautiful sunset.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 4**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking_ \- human thoughts

 _ **thinking**_ **\- dragon thoughts**

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon** **or any of its characters**

Feeding Hiccup proved to be a problem, Cloudjumper was aware that human hatchling's feed differently than dragon hatchlings. He had seen them take their nourishment from their mother just like other animals do with their young. On the other hand, dragon hatchlings got their nourishment from the fish their mothers chewed for them, the saliva made it easier for the food to be swallowed and digested.

That was when Cloudjumper knew that he would require the assistance of an animal still nursing their young. For this task he would have to venture out into the world once again in order to Hiccup to get the proper food he needed to survive.

 _ **Toothless… who will watch him? He's not old enough to fly yet or be left on his own obviously.**_

Cloudjumper pondered what to do in this situation while watching Toothless try to catch a bug that was zooming over his head. Hiccup just laughed in amusement as he watched his brother act silly. He couldn't help but let out a chuckle too. Just then Cloudjumper heard the rustling of vegetation; he instinctively wrapped his tail around his sons protectively and let out a low growl.

 **"Don't you growl at me Cloudjumper,"** a familiar voice called out to him. **"I'm not going to hurt your sons."**

 **"Clawdia,"** Cloudjumper said. **"You have my apologizes."**

The Raincutter named Clawdia made herself known as she exited from the vegetation. She made her way to Cloudjumper and the boys. She gave Hiccup and Toothless a quick kind glance before settling down next to Cloudjumper.

 **"I accept you apology old friend,"** she stated. **"Though I don't recall you ever being on high alert like this before."**

 **"Must be these boys of mine. They make the father come out of me; it's funny seeing as how I never thought I had such a side."**

Both of them started to laugh at that statement, it was true though. Hiccup and Toothless brought out another side of Cloudjumper. A kind, gentle and loving side that shocked some of the dragons that occupied the same home. The King couldn't have been prouder at this new deposition that overcome Cloudjumper.

Hiccup's stomach let out a growl; the dragon friends stopped laughing and turned their attention to the noise. It happened again and Hiccup started to fuss a little. Toothless stopped trying to catch the bug and quickly made his way toward his brother. It broke his hatchling heart to hear is brother suffering from sorrow. He licked his brother's salty tears and nuzzled his face with his face with Hiccup's. Hiccup settled down a bit but his stomach was still making those sounds.

 **"Oh that's right. I remember what I was thinking about before you came here Clawdia,"** Cloudjumper sighed. **"Hiccup's hungry but I can't feed him the way I feed Toothless, I have to find an animal that is still nursing. But I can't leave Toothless by himself."**

 **"Human hatchlings are such interesting creatures, they have different needs,"** Clawdia replied.

 **"Indeed,"** Cloudjumper said when suddenly an idea pooped into his head. **"That's it!"**

 **"What's it?"** Clawdia gasped out of shock from Cloudjumper's excitement.

 **"I apologize for startling you Clawdia but if you don't mind I have a favor to ask you."**

 **"Once again I accept your apology, what is this favor?"**

 **"Will you look after Toothless while I'm out with Hiccup?"** Cloudjumper announced his idea. **"I trust you my friend with the safety of Toothless. This will have to become a regular errand until Hiccup's teeth start growing in."**

 **"Cloudjumper… dear friend,"** Clawdia started. **"Of course I will do you this favor, anything for you and your sons."**

 **"Thank you Clawdia. Thank you so much,"** Cloudjumper bowed in appreciation then turned to his sons. **"Toothless, come over here son."**

Toothless started nuzzling Hiccup and picked his head up to face his father; he heard his name being called. He reluctantly left his brother's side, he walked to his father and his father's friend he had come to known as Clawdia.

 **"Toothless as you know Hiccup's stomach is making those noises because he is hungry. However, since he is a human hatchling I have to feed him differently than how I feed you. So I have to leave the sanctuary for a little bit with Hiccup but I want you to stay here with Clawdia while I'm out."**

Toothless let out a cry of distress, he didn't want to be separated from his father and brother! He wanted to stay with them. Cloudjumper noticed his distress and leaned his snout next to Toothless's face while wrapping his wings around the young dragon. He affectionately gave him a cuddle.

 **"There, there Toothless. It's alright I'm coming back and Hiccup will too; I promise it won't take long,"** he assured. **"Don't worry I'm not going to leave you alone like you were before."**

Toothless let out another cry and cuddled closer to his father, at least his father was aware of why he didn't want them to leave. Yes he knew he would have someone there for him but it was Cloudjumper or Hiccup.

 **"Listen I need you to be a brave dragon while your brother and I are out. If you promise to be on your best behavior for Clawdia I promise I'll pick up a nice Icelandic cod just for you before we come home."**

Toothless's ears perked up once he heard the name of that delicious treat. He stopped letting out a cry and instead began to purr. He was agreeing to what Cloudjumper had promised him in return for good behavior.

 **"Good boy Toothless,"** Cloudjumper said with pride then turned to Clawdia. **"I leave him in your care my friend."**

 **"Don't worry he's in good wings."**

With that Cloudjumper nodded and picked up Hiccup from his fur blanket. He made his way to the exit while looking behind him one last time to see Toothless beginning to play with Clawdia. He spread his wings out and stretched his whole body before taking off into the sky. Hiccup started giggling once they were up in the air, this time he opened his arms out and mimicked his father's actions for flying. Cloudjumper headed for a farm that carried many animals on land that he had become familiar with over the years.

It took an hour or so before he reached the farm, thankfully there were no humans in sight and the animals were out and about. He spotted his target: a mother goat. The goat was nursing her young while grazing on the green grass. Cloudjumper carefully snuck up on the goat before placing Hiccup underneath her. Either she didn't notice or she simply didn't care since he had no reaction what so ever to another mouth being latched onto her.

Cloudjumper watched as Hiccup suckled the goat's milk, he used his little hands to squeeze more of the milk into his mouth. Once Hiccup started to slow down Cloudjumper knew he was becoming full. After a few more minutes Hiccup let go of the goat and Cloudjumper quickly made his escape with his son in his mouth.

Before they went home Cloudjumper went to fulfill his promise to Toothless by collecting an Icelandic cod with his claws. The ride home seemed to go by fast since before he knew it they were already at the Dragon Sanctuary. Cloudjumper landed and went to his nest while bowing his head to the friends who greeted him. At the nest he saw Toothless climbing on Clawdia's stomach while Clawdia just laid there calmly, she seemed to be enjoying the fun the little dragon was having. Cloudjumper cleared his throat to alert them both of their return. Toothless immediately went to greet them, especially Hiccup since he was no longer suffering from hunger.

 **"See Toothless your father and brother are alright,"** Clawdia stood up. **"And look your father brought back your prize for being such a good dragon."**

Toothless bounced with excitement, his father handed him his prize while placing Hiccup down.

 **"Thank you once again Clawdia,"** Cloudjumper said as he laid down. **"As I said before this will have to be a regular routine."**

 **"No worries Cloudjumper I'm glad to help, I'll be here whenever you are in need of assistance. But Cloudjumper why didn't you just bring back the animal to the sanctuary? It would have been easier on Toothless and Hiccup."**

 **"I've thought about that but I don't want to take something like that into a place like this. It would be troublesome keeping all the other dragons away from them seeing as how they're food. Even if I got the King's permission for such a task I have a feeling that the animals will just cause trouble anyway. After all they would be staying in a place that's new to them for a long period of time, not to mention it's full of the 'beasts' that regulatory make prey out of them."**

Clawdia just nodded her head then let out a yawn to show her exhaustion.

 **"Well it's getting late, I'll be returning to my nest now. Goodnight Cloudjumper."**

 **"Goodnight Clawdia,"** Cloudjumper bumped snouts with her then she turned her attention to the hatchlings.

 **"Goodnight little ones,"** she nuzzled both of their heads before taking her leave.

Toothless began to partake in his treat while wrapping his tail around his brother. This was a crazy day for Cloudjumper but it was worthwhile to see both of his sons happy and content. That was his prize.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**

 **I updated this chapter to include why Cloudjumper didn't just bring back the goat to the sanctuary. Sorry if I didn't make it clear before. *bows head in apology***

 **Thank you everyone for the follows and favorites XD!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 5**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking_ \- human thoughts

 _ **thinking**_ **\- dragon thoughts**

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon** ** **or any of its characters** **

**Merry Christmas everyone and Happy Holidays, here's a little present from HotTopicLuver! XD**

Days became weeks and soon weeks turned into months. Six months to be precise. Hiccup and Toothless were now six months old and were already making progress in their infant hood. For example, Toothless was five months old along with Hiccup and one day while Cloudjumper was busy washing Hiccup using his tongue Toothless let out a sound but it wasn't a cry like the other times.

 **"Dad!"**

Cloudjumper stopped washing Hiccup and turned with head toward his other son.

 _ **Did he just… call me Dad?**_

Just when Cloudjumper was about to dismiss this as a trick of his mind Toothless did it again.

 **"Dad! Dad!"**

 **"You did call me Dad! You can talk Toothless!"** Cloudjumper placed his wing around Toothless and lifted him up.

He hugged both of his sons using his wings; their father cuddled them with joy. On the other hand, Hiccup started learning how to crawl during this sixth month not to mention his first pair of teeth started growing in. However, this proved to be a problem since Hiccup was in constant pain for a little while and he wouldn't stop crying. Thankfully Cloudjumper got some help from the King himself during this time.

 **"I've heard that humans let their hatchling suckle on something cold while it's wrapped in a cloth. Most of the time it's frozen fruit. If you collect some of the peaches that grow here I will be happy to freeze them for you but you will have to collect the cloth from the outside world,"** the King suggested.

Clawdia helped out with that part, she went into the closest human village she could fin and sneaked away a piece of cloth. Soon Hiccup had a soothing way of relieving his pain; he regularly suckled on this frozen treat but never ate it. Toothless felt left out so Cloudjumper let him suckle on one as well. Fatherhood certainly it its quirks, Cloudjumper learned something new every day.

Toothless started learning how to use his wings properly during this time as well. He wasn't able to fly yet but the exercises he was being taught by Cloudjumper and Clawdia prepared him for the upcoming ability he would soon possess.

With their new found abilities the two started to become the little trouble makers, Hiccup always managed to crawl into places that seemed impossible for him to reach. Toothless couldn't help but join his brother on these little adventures. Right now as we speak Cloudjumper was searching all over the sanctuary for them.

 **"Toothless! Hiccup! Come out boys!"**

 **"Hello Cloudjumper,"** a Scauldron named Aquajaw poked her head out of her watery nest. **"Looking for those sons of yours again?"**

 **"Unfortunately, every time I turn my head it's like they disappear."**

 **"I see. I remember the time they hid in my nest, thankfully they didn't drown."**

Cloudjumper sighed and recalled the time his sons managed to get inside Aquajaw's nest without the knowledge of her or her mate. By the time Cloudjumper found their trail he feared that they had drowned in the water. However, to his shock and surprise he found Hiccup riding on Toothless's stomach while Toothless was floating on his back. Both of the boys seem to enjoy the comfort of the warm water nest they found.

 **"I almost had a heart attack that day,"** Cloudjumper said. **"Then there was the time when they completely got themselves covered by moss and were almost stepped on by Bumper."**

 **"Oh yes I remember that time too,"** Aquajaw let out a giggle.

 **"You know thinking about those past events isn't helping me feel reassured that they're safe."**

 **"Cloudjumper don't worry every dragon here knows how protective you are of those two, besides this place is a haven. No dragon or human hatchling will ever be harmed here."**

 **"I suppose you are right. Well I should continue on then, have a good day Aquajaw and say hello to your mate for me."**

 **"Take care Cloudjumper and I will."**

Cloudjumper left Aquajaw's nest then traveled to other nests hoping to find his sons, then he traveled to other locations within the sanctuary but had no luck.

 **"Where else could they have gone too? I've searched everywhere in his this place… everywhere expect…"** Cloudjumper didn't finish his sentence as he sprinted to the location he hadn't thought to look in.

 _ **Oh no his majesty will be so upset!**_

Cloudjumper reached the Bewilderbeast's nest and saw that the large dragon had his back turned to him. He heard the giggles of young hatchlings emitting from the front of the Bewilderbeast. Cloudjumper hesitantly walked closer towards the King of Dragons, cleared his throat.

 **"Your highness,"** Cloudjumper addressed.

The Bewilderbeast's posture perked up and he turned around his see his unexpected guest. Then again it's not like he didn't already have unexpected guests. He saw that it was the Stormcutter known as Cloudjumper and immediately felt an urge to laugh but he held it in. Hanging on the top of his head were Cloudjumper's two little hatchlings. They didn't even realize that their father had caught them once again; they were too busy having fun on top of the King's head.

 **"My sincerest and dearest apologizes King,"** Cloudjumper bowed. **"They got away from me again."**

 **"No worries Cloudjumper, they're just hatchlings after all. No harm done, it's in their nature to be curious and to have the desire to explore."**

 **"Even so… ever since Hiccup started learning how to crawl it's been chaotic."**

 **"Don't worry Cloudjumper they're just growing up,"** the Bewilderbeast replied. **"That being said though, I want you to know that once Hiccup reaches the age where he can walk properly I want his studies to begin. While he may not be able to speak the entirety of words of the dragon language by then at least he will be able to understand them. Each species of dragon will take their turn teaching Hiccup about their abilities, strengths, weaknesses, characteristics and behavior. Hiccup is a smart hatchling, he will be a quicker learner no doubt. Is that clear?"**

 **"I understand your majesty, but if you don't mind I would like my sons back."**

The King finally let out his chuckle and nodded his head.

 **"Toothless. Hiccup. Boys get down here this instant!"** Cloudjumper called.

The two hatchlings finally saw that their father had found them and they let out a squeal of delight. The Bewilderbeast lowered his head in front of Cloudjumper.

 **"Dad!"** Toothless exclaimed as he bounced off the King's head and into his father embrace.

Cloudjumper then picked up Hiccup while the Bewilderbeast went back into his sitting position. The boys were laughing as their father hugged them.

 **"I love you both too,"** Cloudjumper responded to the laughter of his sons. **"But you have to find other ways of showing me you love, please. If this keeps up I'm going to be mistaken for your grandfather."**

The boys continued to laugh even more, understanding their father's joke. Now that he had his sons back in his sight he bowed again to the Bewilderbeast.

 **"Thank you King for you kind hospitality, I'll be taking my leave now. Have a nice day."**

 **"The pleasure was all mine Cloudjumper, you too have a nice day… and you too little hatchlings."**

Hiccup and Toothless waved their hand and claw in the air to say goodbye to their playmate while being carried on their father's back. The Bewilderbeast set his head down and decided to take a nap, playing with those two sure made him tired but he was happy to see that they were growing into fine hatchlings.

 _ **I look forward to the future you two will create together. The future where humans and dragons will come together as one… that will be a sight to behold.**_

With that sleep overtook the King. Cloudjumper and his sons went back to their nest, the father immediately laid down on the floor to rest his tired body. He placed his sons on the floor as well, Hiccup started to crawl again but he didn't wander too far thankfully. He too was tired from the day of play he had with his brother and the King. Toothless walked behind him to make sure he didn't step on something that would hurt him.

 **"Da…"** soft words filled the air. **"Da…"**

Cloudjumper's eyes quickly opened and he focused his attention on his sons. The words didn't sound like they belonged to Toothless which could only mean…

 **"Hiccup?"**

The human child only turned his head and with a wide smile on his small face said his first word.

 **"Da… Dad… Dad!"**

 **"Hiccup you talked!"**

Toothless pounced on Hiccup and began to lick his face, showing his excitement. Hiccup only laughed as Cloudjumper picked up the both of them and nuzzled them.

 **"You both can talk now… Hiccup you can talk in dragonese too, I was hoping for that my son. I'm so proud of you both!"**

The small family slept well that night, they were huddled together and their dreams were full of good things. Hiccup and Toothless will continue to grow, both physically and mentally. Their adventures have only just begun and soon they will be able to venture into the outside world together.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**

 **Have a great holiday everyone! I'll see you again soon in the next chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 6**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking_ \- human thoughts

 _ **thinking**_ **\- dragon thoughts**

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon** **or any of its characters**

 **"Come on Hiccup, walk to Dad,"** Cloudjumper said as he held out his wings towards his now one year old son. **"You can do it."**

Hiccup struggled to get on his feet; Toothless walked up beside him and allowed Hiccup to use him as a way to stand up. Once Hiccup was up on his feet he carefully put one foot in front of the other then tried to move the other foot. He fell down on his stomach but he didn't cry, Cloudjumper told Toothless not to interfere when he fell down so that way Hiccup can learn better. He picked himself back up and this time without the aid of Toothless.

 **"Cup!"** cheered Toothless.

Hiccup held his arms out in front of him and began to take more steps. He was careful to keep his balance and by the time he realized it he was walking into his father's wings.

 **"Cup!"** Toothless bounced up and down while cheering for his brother.

Toothless ran over to his brother and started nuzzling him, Hiccup accepted the nuzzle and returned it.

 **"Toothy!"** Hiccup exclaimed while nuzzling his brother.

Hiccup's and Toothless's vocabulary was starting to expand greatly. So far Hiccup knew how to say "Dad", "Toothy" was as close as he could say to "Toothless" at the moment, "bruther" for "brother", "food", "dragon", "human", "Clawa" was his pronunciation of "Clawdia", "King", "sleepy", "no" and "bye." On the other hand, Toothless knew how to say "Dad", "Cup" was his way of calling "Hiccup", "fish", "brother", "scale", "claw", "hatchling", "dragon", "Clawdia" and "King."

 **"Dad!"** Hiccup happily stated and gave Cloudjumper a nuzzle as well.

 **"I'm so proud of you son,"** Cloudjumper replied and gave Hiccup a hug with his wings and invited Toothless over.

Clawdia heard the commotion emitting from Cloudjumper's nest and decided to pay the family a visit. She saw the cute picture of Cloudjumper wrapping his wings around both of his sons. She chuckled and that caught the attention of Cloudjumper and the boys.

 **"Why hello Clawdia,"** Cloudjumper greeted.

 **"Clawa!"** Hiccup welcomed.

 **"Clawdia!"** Toothless exclaimed.

 **"Greetings Cloudjumper and greetings to you too boys."**

 **"Clawdia stay where you are for a moment, there's something I want to show you,"** Cloudjumper placed the boys down and gave Hiccup a wink.

The boy knew what his father wanted him to do and immediately stood up. His struggled to get his balance for a second but he managed to stay up. He slowly walked to Clawdia then he picked up the pace a little. Clawdia stood there in awe and watch the human hatchling make his way to her. She opened her wings to him and waited for him, he walked straight into them. He giggled and so did Clawdia.

 **"Way to go Hiccup!"** she cheered for him. **"You're growing into a fine boy dear."**

 **"Toothy too!"** he added.

 **"Yes Toothless is too."**

Toothless stood with his snout in the air, showing his pride to Clawdia's and his brother's statement about himself. Cloudjumper smiled at his son's action, Hiccup then turned away from Clawdia and began to walk back to his father.

 **"He's already a year old…"** Clawdia said.

 **"Yes… and so is Toothless,"** Cloudjumper said as he caught Hiccup in his wings again.

 _ **It's been a year since I made Hiccup and Toothless my sons… since I became their father.**_

Cloudjumper started to become nostalgic as he watched Hiccup make his way to Toothless, he recalled the day he first met the human hatchling. How cute and innocent he looked wrapped in his fur blanket while lying down in his cradle. How his piercing green eyes connected with his soul and how his little arms welcomed the dragon's presence. That memory was forever burned into his mind and the proof that it occurred was on Hiccup's chin. The little cut that was given to him by Cloudjumper was still there. It was now a scar and Cloudjumper still felt guilty that he did that to Hiccup. He knew it was an accident but that didn't lessen his guilt. Clawdia noticed the change in Cloudjumper's facial expression and immiedialey knew what he was thinking.

 **"It was an accident Cloudjumper,"** Clawdia said as she wrapped one of her wings over him.

 **"I know but still…"**

 **"No buts, it was an accident. You've done more than enough to show Hiccup your love for him and for Toothless as well. Both boys are lucky to have a father like you Cloudjumper."**

 **"Do you really think so?"**

 **"I know so and so do they."**

Clawdia pointed to his sons and he watched as they started wrestling with each other. Toothless was careful with his teeth and claws as Hiccup tried to get the upper hand. Their laughter filled the nest. So did Cloudjumper's and Clawdia's.

 **"Hiccup will be starting his studies soon Clawdia. The King has made his decision, he said that when Hiccup starts walking that's when it will happen."**

 **"Is that so? The King will probably make the announcement soon then… but he'll probably wait a longer just until Hiccup gets use to walking."**

 **"Yes, I'll have to tell or rather show him the development Hiccup has made now. During Hiccup's studies I'll be teaching Toothless more about being a dragon. I'll teach him how to fly, hunt, hide from predators and all the other stuff that comes with being a dragon."**

 **"It shows what a good father you are Cloudjumper."**

 **"Thank you Clawdia."**

 **"You welcome old friend."**

Clawdia took her leave once Cloudjumper started getting ready to go see the King. He placed Hiccup on his back and made sure Toothless walked beside him. He met up with the Bewilderbeast at his nest and placed Hiccup next to his brother. Cloudjumper bowed down, Toothless followed his father's example and bowed down as well to show the King respect.

 **"Good evening Cloudjumper. Good evening Cloudjumper's sons"**

 **"Good evening dear King."**

 **"King!"** Toothless and Hiccup greeted in unison.

 **"Please arise Cloudjumper and sons. Toothless and Hiccup let me get a good love at you."**

Toothless and Hiccup looked at Cloudjumper to which he nodded. They held up their heads and allowed the Bewilderbeast to look at them. The King admired how healthy and strong the boys looked, just by looking at their faces he could tell. He then turned to Cloudjumper and gave a nod of approval of how he was raising the boys. Cloudjumper bowed he head real quickly before facing Hiccup.

 **"Hiccup show the King what you have learned today."**

Hiccup gave his father a small smile then stood up on his legs, the King looked shocked at first but his expression became filled with joy soon after. The human hatchling walked toward the King with arms wide open, his little face still held a smile. The Bewilderbeast waited for the embrace the child would give him with pride. Hiccup reached him and let out a giggle.

 **"King!"**

 **"That's right Hiccup that's the King of the Dragons,"** Cloudjumper stated with dignity.

 **"King… dragon,"** Hiccup repeated.

 **"Close enough,"** Cloudjumper chuckled.

 **"The time is drawing near Cloudjumper,"** the Bewilderbeast said. **"His studies will begin soon now… he'll learn everything about the dragon kind. He will be a step closer to fulfilling that dream of ours… the dream that has become my own now."**

 **"Yes and while that is going on I will be teaching Toothless all about being a dragon."**

 **"Of course, as soon as Hiccup gets use to his legs the teachings will begin. Every specie of dragon will have a month of teaching and they will occur in the morning. He will have one day off per week during this month as a way of relaxing. Is that clear?"**

 **"Yes your majesty."**

 **"Good,** **I will make the announcement tomorrow morning to the other dragons,"** the King said then turned his attention to the hatchlings. **"Boys, your futures will be bright and full of accomplishments I just know it."**

 **"I know they will be,"** Cloudjumper replied. **"I must now excuse myself and my sons King it's time for them to eat."**

 **"Yes be on your way then, goodbye Toothless and Hiccup. Have a good rest of the day Cloudjumper."**

 **"You too your highness,"** Cloudjumper took a bow then left with the boys.

The rest of the day went by fast, the morning came and a new dawn was born. The King summoned all of the dragons with a loud roar. The dragons immediately woke up from their slumber and arose from their nests. They gathered around the King's nest and waited patiently for him to make his announcement. Once the Bewilderbeast caught sight of Cloudjumper and the boys he motioned his head for them to come over. The dragons saw this action and opened a pathway for Cloudjumper and his sons. They made their way to the King's nest and turned around to face the rest of the dragons. The Bewilderbeast cleared his throat and begun his announcement.

 **"Good morning my fellow dragons, I do hope you all had a wonderful slumber,"** he started. **"I have called you here today to make an important announcement regarding the human hatchling named Hiccup."**

The dragons listened carefully to his words and then they looked at Hiccup after he said the beginning of his announcement. Hiccup was busy drawing something in the dirt with a stick he found; Toothless gave it a gaze every now and then.

 **"As you know it has already been one year since young Hiccup has joined our dragon community. We have watched him grow into a healthy and fine hatchling. He has become a part of our family and is our ally."**

The dragons nodded their heads in approval and agreement.

 **"And now the time has come for him to learn the culture and species of the dragon kind. In a month these lessons will begin and I want every dragon specie here to teach Hiccup their ways. Everything there is to know he will learn, every dragon specie will be given a month to teach him about themselves. One day out of every week during this month will be given a day off, and the lessons will be taught in the morning."**

All the dragons began to look at each other and were amazed to see just how much Hiccup would be learning from each of them. It made them happy and filled them with a sense of honor to be the teachers to one hatchling.

 **"Is that clear everyone?"**

 **"Yes your majesty!"** they exclaimed in unison. **"We will be Hiccup's teachers for he is our family!"**

This action warmed Cloudjumper's heart; he saw just how much the dragon community cared for Hiccup… his Hiccup.

 **"But your majesty,"** a Monstrous Nightmare named Scorcheye stepped forward to address the King. **"While I'm not against Hiccup, our family member, being taught our ways I have to ask something."**

 **"You may ask your question Scorcheye,"** the Bewilderbeast replied.

 **"Don't you think Hiccup is too young to be taught all of this right now… I mean he's only a year old."**

The murmurs of dragons filled the sanctuary; they too were starting to wonder that. After all would Hiccup still remember all of these teachings when he grows up? Cloudjumper suddenly got nervous; Scorcheye did have a point with his statement.

 _ **Is it true? Is it too early for Hiccup to be learning all of this?**_

The Bewilderbeast looked down to face Hiccup and gave a small smile; he turned his attention back to his subjects.

" **There is no need to worry about that Scorcheye; I have a feeling that Hiccup will always keep these lessons close to his heart."**

The murmurs stopped.

 **"I don't mean to insult you your highness but are you quite sure?"** Scorcheye questioned.

 **"Yes my dear subject I'm quite sure,"** the Bewilderbeast calmly stated. **"Next month the teachings will begin! My decision is final, next month there will be another announcement in order for everyone to know when it will be their turn to teach Hiccup. Understand?"**

 **"Yes your highness!"** the dragons replied including Scorcheye who was now released from his worries.

 **"Good you are all dismissed and have a good day."**

 **"You too King!"**

All of the dragons expect for Cloudjumper left the King's nest and returned to their own. Cloudjumper wait until he was sure it was just him with the King and his sons. Once the others were out of sight Cloudjumper turned toward the Bewilderbeast.

 **"Your majesty did you mean that? I mean what you said about Hiccup?"**

 **"Of course I did. Hiccup will learn and he will treasure those teachings."**

 **"But what makes you so sure?"**

The Bewilderbeast let out a low chuckle which confused the father of two. Hiccup and Toothless were now busy playing tag with each other but Cloudjumper was too preoccupied with his talk with the King to notice. That's when the King looked into the eyes of Cloudjumper.

 **"Cloudjumper… I want you to look at the patch of dirt Hiccup was sitting next to."**

Cloudjumper did as he was told and was baffled by what he saw. Next to the stick which Hiccup was using was a drawing of Toothless and Cloudjumper. It was a little messy but nonetheless it held all the proof Cloudjumper needed to know that this was the right choice.

 **"I understand how King… my Hiccup will do as you say,"** Cloudjumper turned his head and watched his sons play.

 **"With Toothless and you by his side just I know it,"** the King said. **"He's a human… with the soul of a dragon."**

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**

 **This was the longest chapter I have written or typed so far. *whew***

 **But to see how many people like this fanfiction makes it worth it. Thank you all for reading this story of mine. XD**


	7. Chapter 7

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 7**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking_ \- human thoughts

 _ **thinking**_ **\- dragon thoughts**

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon** **or any of its characters**

A six year old boy walked through the tunnels of the Dragon Sanctuary; he had forest green eyes, adorable freckles that covered his cheeks and brown hair. He wore a brown loincloth, a necklace that contained several baby teeth that were given to him by the dragon hatchlings that were growing older with one of them being his own baby tooth and went around barefooted. He made his way to a small opening that lead to the outside, it was too small for the average human or Viking to see since it was buried deep among the spikes of ice that encased the dragon haven. He breathed in the air and listened to the waves of the ocean clashed into themselves and the rocks that poked out of the water. He saw the white clouds cover the blue sky with their various shapes and forms.

" **The outside world,"** the boy spoke in dragonese. **"I wonder what other things lie beyond these waters… it must be a world full of mystery and wonder."**

Today was his day off from studying, this month he was learning from the Hideous Zippleback species. Don't get him wrong he enjoyed participating in these studies but sometimes he couldn't help but wonder what on the outside of this place. This outside world seemed to call out to him… he felt as if it was a voice that waited for him to come home. But he was home… wasn't he?

" **I could never ask Dad that though… or anyone else here for that matter."**

It's not like it was the first time he had these kinds of thoughts. He wasn't dumb… he noticed the differences between his the dragons and himself. Hiccup he was different but he didn't know whether or not was another kind of dragon or just something else altogether. He didn't want to ask Cloudjumper though for he feared it might hurt him.

" **I might hurt Dad and Toothless, they're my family and I love them. I don't want them to think otherwise."**

Hiccup sat down and pondered these thoughts again to himself. He wanted answers but it seemed like he wasn't going to get them here. If only… if only… he could…

" **Hiccup!"** a familiar voiced called.

" **Dad…"** he whispered as he stood up.

" **Hiccup there you are! I should have known you'd be here again, what did I tell you about running off without telling anyone where you were going?"**

" **I know, I know Dad… I'm sorry… I just wanted to see the outside again,"** Hiccup bowed his head in shame.

Cloudjumper noticed his son's action and all his anger and frustration melted away. He just couldn't stay mad at his son… any of his sons. I placed his snout on Hiccup's head and gave it him a nuzzle. Hiccup let out a laugh and a smile replaced his shamed face.

" **That's the face I love to see!"** Cloudjumper exclaimed.

The sounds of another body made its way to Cloudjumper and Hiccup, it was Toothless who was trailing behind is father. The six year old dragon struggled to get over last piece of rock that led to the opening but eventually made it through.

" **Hiccup there you are! Dad found you,"** Toothless said to his brother. **"We were worried about you."**

" **I know I got it from Dad too Toothless,"** Hiccup smiled at the Night Fury.

" **Don't worry I'm not mad, as long as you're safe there's nothing to be mad about,"** Toothless rubbed his body alongside Hiccup.

Hiccup patted Toothless on the back and gave him a hug. Cloudjumper adored the two boys and one might say he spoiled them too much but he was a father so he had an excuse. However, sometimes he felt like he gave them too much freedom, Hiccup's defiance of not telling anyone his whereabouts proved that. He let out a sigh.

" **Anyway, Hiccup I was just about to tell you and your brother something before I realized you were missing again."**

" **Sorry again Dad."**

" **Yes I know you are but please at least let Toothless know where you are next time. He is your brother after all."**

" **I will next time I promise."**

" **Good boy,"** Cloudjumper said. **"Now what I was about to tell you both was that I've decided to take you to the outside world."**

" **What?"** the boys said in unison.

" **That's right you are going to see the outside world with me. It's a good way for Toothless to test out his wings and it's good for Hiccup to see what's beyond this place."**

" **Really? This better not be a trick Dad!"** Hiccup replied.

" **No trick son, this is for real."**

Toothless and Hiccup bounced with joy and danced around each other.

" **When do we leave?"** Toothless asked.

" **Right now."**

" **Really?"** Hiccup questioned.

" **As soon as you get on my back we can leave."**

Hiccup climbed on Cloudjumper's back while Toothless readied his wings, they took off into sky. Hiccup screamed with excitement and held his arms up in the air. He missed this feeling; he had vague memories of doing this with his father when he was a baby. He recalled the times where they went out to find Hiccup some nourishment. Even as a baby he still had these memories even if they weren't so clear they were still memories… memories of being one with the sky.

" **We'll head to a cove that's not far from a village then we head out on foot and take a look around,"** Cloudjumper announced. **"That way you boys can do some sightseeing while staying hidden."**

" **That sounds terrific!"** Toothless exclaimed. **"Ready to go exploring Hiccup?"**

" **You know it bud!"**

Along the way the boys chatted about what they were going to do first and how they were going to do it. Meanwhile, Cloudjumper paid attention to where he was going; he knew that bringing Hiccup along for this trip might cause him to question his heritage and family. For they were heading to Berk! The place where Hiccup was born and where Cloudjumper made his decision to take him back to the Dragon Sanctuary. He wanted to at least see where he truly came from and what his kind looked. He could only hope that the boy wouldn't hate him too much… it would break his heart to hear that his son hated him. While they may not be the same species he would always be Cloudjumper's son.

He already told the King and the other dragons about his plan, some didn't agree with what he was doing but the King did and to them that's all that mattered. They agreed that it would be Hiccup's decision as to whether or not he would want to stay with the dragons or go back to the humans. Toothless wasn't aware of what he was doing either but nevertheless he continued with the journey.

" **There it is,"** Cloudjumper said and he closed in. **"Toothless start preparing for landing."**

" **Yes Dad."**

The dragons landed on the grass quietly and Hiccup jumped off Cloudjumper's back. They rested for a bit then Cloudjumper cleared his throat. That caught the attention of the boys, their father was about to lay down the rules. He had a knack for doing that.

" **Boys as you know we are on an island that could be crawling with predators that would hunt down and kill us. You are allowed to explore but you must stay hidden. Do you understand?"**

" **Yes sir… Dad!"** they nodded their heads.

" **Good, now Toothless use your claws to climb that wall and Hiccup wrap your arms around his neck while he is climbing, don't let go. I will be watching you both from afar so don't overdo your exploring."**

" **Okay Dad don't worry I'll take care of Hiccup,"** Toothless said.

" **And I'll take care of Toothless,"** Hiccup said as he wrapped his arms tightly around his brother's neck.

The boys made their way up the wall while Cloudjumper watched. Once the boys were out of sight the Stormcutter took a deep breath and let out a sigh. He was worried.

 _ **Am I making the right choice? He's done wonderfully so far in the dragon community; he's excelling in his studies. In a few more months he'll be done completely and he will officially be the link between our world and the human world. But… I can't help but feel as if we're forcing him to choose to be a 'dragon. 'But he's not…he's a human. I know it may sound like it's too late especially after all we've been through but I wonder if I should return Hiccup back to his human home, would it be better for him at this point? Am I being selfish by saying I want him to continue living as something he's not?**_

Cloudjumper knew these thoughts clouded young Hiccup's mind, he wanted to know why he wasn't like the other dragons and Cloudjumper was afraid to give him the answers. He thought that maybe it would be easier to show him rather than tell him. He would see the humans, their village and their culture. He will see that he is one of them and not really a dragon after all. He decided he would tell Hiccup the whole story of how came to be a 'dragon' after he has seen the humans for himself.

 _ **I took him because I feared that his gift of understanding and speaking dragonese would be destroyed if he was raised under the care of Vikings. A gift such as that would be too precious to waste, I raised him as my son and he will always be my son no matter what path he chooses. Whether it is the path of a human or a dragon.**_

" **I await your answer Hiccup, my dear son."**

 **Hiccup is on Berk for the first time in six years… what will his reaction be once he discovers there are more like him? Will he forgive Cloudjumper for his past action or will he turn away from the path that would unite the dragon and human communities?**

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 8**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking_ \- human thoughts

 _ **thinking**_ **\- dragon thoughts**

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters  
**

Toothless walked through the forest with Hiccup on his back and took in the beautiful scenery of the sun covered trees, the small bushes and the small animals that inhabited this forest. Hiccup was amazed how different the atmosphere felt here compared the atmosphere at the Dragon Sanctuary. It felt familiar somehow.

" **This place feels so different from home,"** Hiccup said aloud.

" **Well that's because it's not home Hiccup,"** Toothless replied.

" **I know but still I can't help but feel as if I've been here before Toothless."**

" **That's weird; I don't remember Dad ever talking about this place before."**

" **I know and that makes it more confusing for me,"** Hiccup said as he facial expression became one full of despair and frustration.

" **Aw don't get all sad faced on me Hiccup, come one let's continue to explore this mysterious island. You'll feel better."**

Hiccup felt bad that he making his brother feel his confusion; he didn't mean to ruin their adventure together. He decided he would leave all his questions for another day and put a smile on his face.

" **Yeah you're right I can't be sad now especially when it's the first time we've been outside the sanctuary."**

" **That's the spirit!"**

Hiccup got off Toothless's back and started to climb some of the tree; he had the perfect view of the island's vast land. Toothless soon joined him and caught the same sight as he did. They were amazed on how such a small island could have a wide range of life… just like the Dragon Sanctuary. Just then Hiccup saw some smoke not far from where they were, it touched the sky and turned the small part into a gray color.

" **Are there other dragons here?"** Hiccup asked.

" **Dad didn't say anything about other dragons being here… I thought all dragons lived at the sanctuary,"** Toothless added.

" **Maybe some dragons aren't aware that there is a sanctuary. Let's go see what kind of dragon it is, if he or she is need of help or protection we should tell them about the sanctuary."**

" **I don't know Hiccup; shouldn't we let Dad do the talking when it comes to meeting new dragons?"**

" **Aw come on Toothless where's your sense of adventure?"** Hiccup said while a small smirk appeared on his face. **"Don't tell me you're a cowardly chicken now? I thought you were a dragon."**

" **Oh that's it little mister we are heading over there! I'll show you what a real dragon does it!"**

Toothless quickly placed Hiccup on his back and landed on the ground. He took off in the speed of light, his sleek body missing all the trees, bushes and rocks that crossed his path. Hiccup held on tightly, he could feel his heart pounding at the same speed at Toothless's run. This was their first adventure in the outside world, what a thrill it was! Toothless suddenly came to a stop once he caught sight of where the smoke was emitting from. But he didn't stop because he found a dragon… no it was something entirely different from a dragon. He could see that they were several of them and the confusing part was that they looked like his brother!

Hiccup didn't understand why his brother until he got off his back. He saw something that will change his life. There these things that looked like him and there were tons of them! They walked on two legs like he did, they didn't have claws or wings and some of them had hair on their heads.

" **What's going on here?"** Hiccup asked. **"Why do these things look like me bud?"**

" **I was just about to ask the same thing Hiccup. I've never seen anyone like you before; I thought you were the only one of your kind."**

" **My kind?"**

" **Yeah, when we were younger I remember Dad and the other dragons used to call you a 'human hatchling' but I never really understood what that meant. I thought it meant you were some other kind of dragon… I never really questioned it."**

"' **Human hatchling?' That sounds similar to a 'dragon hatchling' bud. So I'm not a dragon at all… I'm a human?"**

" **Hiccup…"**

Toothless didn't have time to comfort Hiccup as he ran closer to the species that they now knew as 'humans,' Toothless didn't react at first but then he realized what he was about to do.

" **Hiccup wait! Dad said not overdo the exploring!"** he called out.

He tried to run after him but was immediately stopped by another's presence, he turned around to his father. Cloudjumper had a look of despair on his face as he looked into his son's green eyes… the same color as Hiccup's.

" **Dad! You're here!"**

" **I told you I would be watching you both from afar."**

" **Dad… is it true? Is Hiccup not a dragon?"**

Cloudjumper leaned closer to the Night Fury and nuzzled him. Toothless nuzzled back and tears started to well up in his eyes.

" **I'm sorry Toothless but it's true… Hiccup is not a dragon he's a human and this is where he was born."**

" **So those things we saw are his species?"**

" **Yes."**

" **How?"**

" **When he comes back I will tell you both the truth,"** Cloudjumper gazed off into the distance. **"If he comes back."**

Toothless started to bawl like a hatchling once he heard his father say that. The Stormcutter wrapped his wings around the Night Fury, Toothless let it all out. He was so scared now… he was going to lose his brother!

 _ **Hiccup please don't leave us… don't leave me brother! I don't care what you are you'll always be my brother. Please, I don't want to be alone again!**_

Meanwhile, Hiccup was now hiding behind some bushes that were closer to the village. He watched with amazement how the humans were busy working on stuff with strange looking tools, how some of them were playing with another, how the parents held hands with their children and how much they looked like him. His heart started to hurt; it felt like his world just came crashing down… everything he learned from the dragons now seemed like lie. Did they truly care for him? Were they just using him as some sort of sick joke? What about his father and brother? Could he even call them that anymore? Tears trailed down his face, he started to sniffle. He wiped his eyes with his arm and looked at the humans again.

Now that he knew he was one of them he was tempted to reach out and talk to them. He was tempted to go into the village and see what living as a human meant. But there was something holding him back… he couldn't just go back into a world like this and forget about Cloudjumper and Toothless. Even if it was a lie he still found himself caring about them.

" **I'm so torn right now,"** he whispered.

He stood up and started to run in the opposite direction, his eyes burned with the sensation of tears. He closed them for a moment and that's when he hit something solid.

"Ow!" a voice yelled.

" **Ow!"** he cried.

After rubbing his face in order to remove some of the pain he opened his eyes and came face to face with a human! It was a girl, he could tell because she had a different physique than him. He was smaller and possessed a petite frame. He learned the differences between a boy and girl from the dragon's teachings. She had long blonde hair that was tied back into a braid and sky blue eyes; she was wearing the traditional Viking wear for a young girl.

"Hey buddy what's your problem?" she exclaimed.

Hiccup didn't answer her; he was too busy observing her. How she was so similar to him and yet different in her own way. He snapped back to reality once the girl got closer to his face.

"Hey I'm talking to you! Who are you anyway? I've never seen you around here before!"

He realized he could understand her! He knew the words that were coming out of her mouth.

" **Um… um… I'm new here,"** he spoke in his dragon tongue.

"What? What are you saying? What kind of a language is that?"

" **You can't understand me? I'm speaking in clear dragonese."**

"Hey! Norse! Speak using Norse words dummy!"

" **Norse?"**

He's never spoken Norse before but he supposed he could give it a try. After all he could understand it, how hard could it be to speak it?

" **I... I… I…,"** he started. "I… I'm… new… here."

He did it! He spoke Norse!

"That's better! So you're new here huh? If that's the case where are your parents or your tribe?"

"Well… my dad… and… brother… are… close… by," he answered carefully.

He didn't want to give away that his father and brother were dragons; he didn't know how the humans felt about dragons yet. He certainly didn't want to give his secret away to a girl he just met and one who didn't seem to like him much so far.

"So there are more of you? Do they dress as strangely as you?"

He looked down at himself, he was dressed strangely?

"I'm… strange?"

The girl gave him a look then started to laugh; she curled her arms around her stomach and fell to the ground. Hiccup was so confused but he could felt his face turn red. She stopped after a few seconds then turned back to him."

"You are strange alright… but you're interesting too!"

"Really?"

"Yes really. Anyway, you got a name?"

"You… sure… do… ask… a… lot… of questions."

She gave him another look then crossed her arms. She blew some of her bangs out of her face and faced him again.

"Well excuse me if I'm curious about what a stranger such as you is doing here on Berk. Normally I should report someone like you to the Chief and he would deal with you-"

"No! Please… don't … do that… I… don't… mean… any harm."

"I know that! I mean look at you, you're a little boy with no armor or weapons. Who would see you as a threat?"

She started to laugh again and this time he started to laugh with her. She brought up a good point; he was as harmless as anyone could be. The girl wiped away some of the tears that were caused by her laughing while Hiccup brushed himself off and stood up. She finally got a good look at him and what caught her attention was what he wore around his neck.

"Hey are those dragon teeth?"

He forgot about the dragon teeth he wore as a necklace. She was going to find out his secret if he didn't respond appropriately.

"Um… yes… my dad… got them for… me."

"Wow. I'm impressed! I would have never guessed that you were the offspring of a dragon killer like that!"

"Dragon killer?"

"Well yeah what else are you supposed to do with dragons?"

Humans kill dragons? What? Hiccup was suddenly terrified of humans and he wasn't even a dragon.

"Uh… yeah… my dad is… pretty amazing."

"That's awesome; by the way we haven't been properly introduced yet. My name is-"

"Astrid!" a voice called in the distance.

"Oh no it's my mom! She must've been looking for me since I didn't tell her where I was going… again." she joked to herself.

Oh no was right… he didn't want anyone else to see him at this point! He had to hide!

"Hey I'm sorry but I have to-"

She stopped talking once she saw that the strange boy was gone, not trace of him could be seen.

 _Wow he can disappear quickly! He has the speed of a dragon. Aw but I never got his name… oh well maybe I'll see him again someday. At least I hope I will._

The girl named Astrid was reunited with her mother; little did they know they were being watched by Hiccup in the trees. He climbed up the closest tree he could find and hid himself amongst the leaves. He watched how the mother gave Astrid a scolding then hugged her tightly.

"It's just like me and Dad," he whispered. **"Just like me and Dad."**

He watched as the mother and daughter pair leave the forest and went back into the village called Berk. He found himself yearning for the same kind of attention from his father and brother. He looked at the necklace, there three teeth in the middle that meant the most to him. The middle one was the first baby tooth he lost, on the left side was Toothless's first baby tooth that he lost and on the right side was Cloudjumper's first baby tooth he lost years ago. His father kept some of his baby teeth from when he was younger and decided to give Hiccup the first one he ever lost. Other dragon baby teeth surrounded the three middle ones.

" **They represent our bond, our family's bond,"** Hiccup said. **"My worst fear was that I would be separated from Toothless and Dad. Such a childish fear but it would really hurt when I thought about stuff like that. Dad's tooth was the first one I got then Toothless's then mine. Dad said as long as I wore this I would never be alone and that their love would always be with me… Dad…brother."**

Hiccup suddenly jumped down from the tree and ran toward a familiar direction. After seeing everything today he now knew where he needed to be!

" **I am Hiccup and I am a human with a dragon's soul!"** he shouted as he ran.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 9**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking_ \- human thoughts

 _ **thinking**_ **\- dragon thoughts**

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!**

Cloudjumper and Toothless were at the cove, Cloudjumper was just starting at his reflection in the small lake that was there. Toothless was pacing back and forth while mumbling under his breath.

 **"Hiccup please come back. Whatever it is you need I'm sure you, me and Dad can work it out together. Just come back to us… come back home with us."**

Cloudjumper could hear his son's pleas and he didn't say anything for he feared he would crush the Night Fury's hopes. However, he'd be lying if he said he didn't have the same pleas when it came to Hiccup's return.

 **"If he chooses to return."**

Cloudjumper continued to stare at his reflection, at time he would stick his claw in the water and swirl it around. The ripples would spread throughout the entire lake and his reflection would shake for a while. He let out a sigh and laid his head down on his claws, he waited to see what would Hiccup's answer would be. Toothless stopped pacing after a while and walked over to Cloudjumper. He laid down next to him and rubbed his head against his father's body. Cloudjumper gave him a small smile and gave Toothless a small lick on the head. Toothless laid his head down but then he heard something from a faraway distance, Cloudjumper heard it too and immediately stood up.

 **"Toothless get behind me,"** he said.

Toothless hid behind Cloudjumper and he opened his wings wide enough to shield his son from whatever was coming their way. After a few minutes the sound stopped and something came out of the vegetation of the forest. It was a small from that held a familiar scent to the dragons.

 **"Dad! Toothless!"** a voice cried out.

The voice was familiar too; after all they had known it for six years!

 **"Hiccup?"** Cloudjumper questioned.

 **"Hiccup?"** Toothless whispered. **"Hiccup! It's you!"**

 **"In the flesh bud!"**

Toothless ran out of his father's cover and climbed the cove's surrounding walls. He tackled his brother and began licking his face repeatedly.

 **"Aw Toothless, you're getting me all wet!"** Hiccup shouted with a smile on his face.

Toothless kept licking Hiccup's face while Cloudjumper watched in shock, not because of the attention the boys were giving to each other but at the fact that Hiccup came back! He came back to them! Even after all he saw, the humans and the village. Toothless grabbed Hiccup and placed him on his back; he flew down to the cove and landed next to Cloudjumper.

 **"Hiccup… you came back."** Cloudjumper said.

 **"Yeah, I did."**

 **"But why? Don't you hate me now that you know about your true species? I took you away from your home, away from your real family."**

Hiccup went quiet for a second then jumped off Toothless's back; he slowly walked to Cloudjumper and gave him a hug. Cloudjumper was surprised at first but then wrapped his wings around the boy.

 **"My real family is right here in front of me and back at the sanctuary,"** Hiccup said. **"It's true that I was angry and confused when I found out that there were other beings that looked like me, I thought that everything I learned with dragons was a lie. I thought this family was a lie as well, that none of the dragons really cared about me and it was all just a joke. But then I remembered the necklace around my neck, I remember you telling about how I would never be alone as long as I wore it."**

Cloudjumper found himself remembering that too as did Toothless.

 **"I realized that no matter what would happen between us that our bond will always be there, even if I'm not a dragon I still found myself caring about you both. I can't just go back into the human world forgetting everyone I care about."**

 **"Hiccup,"** Cloudjumper spoke. **"I don't want you to feel like you were forced into becoming a part of the dragon community that's why I brought you here with Toothless. I want you to have that choice. You can stay here and live with the humans, this island is where you were born and your real parents are back there in that village you saw. Or if you want you can come back to the sanctuary, I won't force you to do anything you don't want."**

Hiccup already knew what his choice was and he didn't feel any regret in what his decision will be. He knew what he wanted even if he was only a child, even if it meant leaving the past he could've gotten to know behind. He knew his real family was back there and maybe he could've gone back to them but at the same time he felt as if his destiny lied beyond the human world. He apologized to them in his mind but thanked them for giving him life since without them he never would've gotten to known his current family.

 **"I know what I'm leaving behind but I'm a human with a dragon's soul, that's what I now understand and I don't hate you for what you did... Dad."**

Cloudjumper's eyes were starting to well up with tears; Toothless finally joined in the hug and Hiccup wrapped an arm around him while keeping another wrapped around his father. Hiccup's and Toothless's eyes started to leak tears as well, the family wasn't crying out of sadness. Rather they were crying because they were happy to be together again, the truth of Hiccup's heritage did nothing to ruin their family bond instead it made it grow stronger.

 **"Can we go home Dad?"** Hiccup asked.

 **"Sure son, I promised Toothless I would tell you both the story of how I found you so when we get back I'll tell you. I'll also tell you how your adoption led to Toothless's adoption."**

 **"I'd like that Dad."**

Hiccup got on Cloudjumper's back while Toothless stretched his wings. They took off into the sky and left behind the human village without disturbing its inhabitants. They headed back to the sanctuary, back home. Hiccup's true home. Hiccup's hair danced in the wind and he felt the sensations of being on top of the world. When he was in the air he felt as if he could do anything. He knew that destiny and fate brought him into the world of the dragons. He was born to do this… he was born to fly alongside the dragon kind!

 **"We're home boys,"** Cloudjumper said as the Dragon Sanctuary came into view.

 **"Home,"** Hiccup said.

The dragons entered through the small entrance and made their way through the tunnels as quickly as they could. Once they were fully inside the sanctuary they landed on the soft grass. Some of the dragons stopped what they were doing and saw the family… with Hiccup!

 **"Cloudjumper, Toothless, and Hiccup you're back!"** Irontalon shouted. **"Especially you Hiccup."**

 **"They've returned with Hiccup!"** Scorcheye exclaimed.

 **"Our family members have back to us!"** a Hideous Zippleback named Spike and Thorn said. **"Our community is whole again!"**

Hiccup could feel his face blush a little; he couldn't believe how much of a fuss they made over his return. It figures he's father told everyone what he was going to do during their trip into the outside world. Even if it was a little embarrassing this proved that the dragons did care about him, they loved him like he was one of their own! Suddenly some of the dragons were knocked out of the way and Clawdia came running up to the small family. She was panting heavily and shaking a little.

 **"You came back Hiccup,"** she whispered.

 **"And he's here to stay Aunt Clawdia,"** Toothless happily said.

Tears ran down Clawdia's face and she picked him up and brought him close to her face. She nuzzled him with her snout and Hiccup wrapped his arms around it. The rest of the dragons cheered for Hiccup and were happy that he was back.

 **"He's staying! He's staying with us!"** they shouted in unison.

All this commotion caused the King to poke his head out of his nest; he saw what was going on. Hiccup has returned to them. Hiccup made eye contact with the King and Clawdia saw what the boy was looking at. She slowly put him down and Hiccup made his way to the Bewilderbeast. Once he got closer and bowed down along with the rest of the dragons.

 **"I've decided to stay with the dragons dear King."**

 **"You have made your choice young Hiccup. Are you sure that you are happy with this decision? I speak for the rest of the dragons that we only want you to be happy no matter where you choose to be."**

 **"Thank you for your concern but I have made my decision already. This is what I want and this community is my family. I want to stay."**

 **"If that is what you want then so be it,"** the Bewilderbeast turned to the other dragons. **"Hiccup has chosen to stay amongst our kind! He is one of us! Let us rejoice for Cloudjumper's son and Toothless's brother!"**

 **"Hooray for Hiccup!"** the dragons cheered.

 **"Hooray for my son!"** Cloudjumper shouted.

 **"Hooray for my brother!"** Toothless exclaimed.

Hiccup turned around and saw the dragons rejoicing, some were flying in circles and others were bouncing up in the air. Hiccup felt as if his heart could burst with joy right now, he so happy he always had the love and support of the dragon community. While he will never forget his encounter with the human girl named Astrid and what he learned from her and from observing the humans, he hoped one day he could change the humans' opinion about dragons'. That day when the dragons and humans could come together as friends and allies, that day when all of them could live in peace.

 **"I will see to that future,"** Hiccup whispered to himself.

It was his destiny!

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 10**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking-_ human thoughts

 _ **thinking-**_ **dragon** **thoughts**

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 **"So Dad how did you find me?"** Hiccup asked as he ate a piece of cooked fish.

 **"Oh yes, I promised to tell you the story,"** Cloudjumper reminded himself as he ate his meal of ten fish.

 **"You also promised to tell us how you found me,"** Toothless added as he roasted some of his fish dinner.

Cloudjumper let out a small smile; he admired how much his two sons were so much alike even if they weren't of the same species. He quickly reminded himself that didn't matter though and everyone knew it.

 **"After dinner I will tell you the tale. How's that sound?"** Cloudjumper asked.

 **"Okay,"** the boys answered in unison.

The family continued to eat their meal in peace; they savored the flavor of their cooked and cooked fish. After they were finished eating it was time for bed and story time. Toothless and Hiccup snuggled together and Cloudjumper wrapped his wings around them. Once they were comfortable Cloudjumper began his tale.

 **"It all started on a dark night in the village known as Berk, the dragons were busy trying to collect food for themselves. Keep in mind some of these dragons don't live here… some of them aren't even aware of its existence."**

 **"Really? How come?"** Hiccup asked.

 **"Well at that time the sanctuary was a new thing… the King just became the new alpha dragon and decided to create a place where dragons wouldn't need to be fearful of the outside world. However, the idea did have a few complications and problems, such as keeping the peace. Some dragons didn't like sharing space or food with other types of dragons. So for a long while there were only a minimum of dragons, I was one of the few hatchlings born during this time."**

 **"But it looks like there are more dragons now,"** Toothless added.

 **"Yes well a few years back that's when more dragons were being welcomed here, now there are all species of dragon living here. However, there are still dragons out there forced to fend of themselves because they don't know about this place. They are the younger generation of dragons that's why they aren't aware."**

 **"So the only ones who know about this place are the older generations?"** Hiccup questioned.

 **"Yes and their descendants or children if you want to know."**

Hiccup let this information sink in and he immediately felt sorry for the other dragons that were still out there. That's why they were being hunted down by the humans; he shuddered once he remembered what Astrid said. He wanted to change that at least until the day humans and dragons could be together. Maybe this was another part of his destiny. Toothless nuzzled him a little when he felt Hiccup's uneasiness. Hiccup hugged Toothless tighter and continued to listen to his father's story.

 **"Anyway on Berk the dragons were trying to get food and the Vikings were trying to stop them as usual. I was on a trip during that time, I decided to travel the world and see how much it has changed during my time here. Unfortunately just when I was about to return home I found myself hungry and once I saw the raid I took advantage of the situation."**

 **"That's how you found the village,"** Hiccup concluded.

 **"Yes my son,"** Cloudjumper leaned down and gave him a gentle nuzzle. **"It was only a coincidence but now I know it was fate, it was my destiny to find you. I was making my way through the village and I broke into a house, I didn't know you were in that house asleep. I woke you up though and I was curious, I've never seen a human hatchling so close before. I was sure you would be afraid of me but you were moving your arms in the air as if to tell me to come closer."**

 **"He did?"** Toothless asked.

 **"Yes and when I first laid my eyes upon you. You were so small and you were wrapped up tightly in your cradle. When I stuck my claw into your cradle you immediately took it and you began to giggle. One look into your eyes told me that you weren't a killer and that you would never become one."**

 **"I guess you were right about that Dad,"** Hiccup said.

Indeed Cloudjumper's statement about Hiccup not being a killer was true; in the six years of his life Hiccup never hurt or killed another living thing. That was what made him different from the other humans, he was a natural born pacifist and he kept the innocence he held as a baby.

 **"Just when I was having a moment with you… your… your mother… your human mother came in,"** Cloudjumper quietly said with a hint of guilt in his voice. **"She misunderstood what I was doing and she was about to kill me with the weapon she held in her hands. In my haste I… I scratched you… on your chin. You started to cry after that."**

Hiccup rubbed the spot his father was talking about, so that's where he got the scar. He saw the look in his father's eyes once he said that as did Toothless, both boys snuggled closer to their father. He looked down at both of them.

 **"It's okay Dad, it was an accident,"** Hiccup said.

 **"You would never hurt anyone of us on purpose,"** Toothless added to his brother's statement.

 **"I know… you boys know I love and care for both of you right?"**

 **"Yes!"** the boys replied happily.

 **"Good and that will never change,"** Cloudjumper said. **"As I was saying, your mother startled me and I yelled at her. That's when you stopped crying… it was as if you could understand me. You understood what the both of us were saying; I knew then that you wouldn't be like the other humans. The house was coming apart and the debris threatened to hurt you, that's when I made my decision to take you with me. You had a gift, one that is too precious to waste. I knew that if you were raised amongst the humans you would lose this gift and I couldn't let that happen."**

 **"So you took me to the sanctuary,"** Hiccup said.

 **"Yes, I took you here and that's when I brought you before the King. After explaining my story and hearing about your gift you were accepted into the dragon community… on one condition."**

 **"Condition?"** Toothless questioned. **"What was the condition Dad?"**

 **"You Toothless,"** Cloudjumper said with a smile. **"The King would allow Hiccup to be a member of the dragon clan if I took on the responsibility of taking care of you; you were born the day before I came back to the sanctuary. Unfortunately your parents were killed before you were born. I accepted the condition and I became a father to two hatchling s in less than a day!"**

 **"So that's how you found out about me,"** Toothless said.

Cloudjumper nodded his head and Toothless recalled his parent's voices from when he was in his egg. He remembered the gentleness they held and the love they had for him when they use to cuddle next to his egg. So when that warmth was gone the day he hatched he knew that his parents could no longer be with him. He knew they were gone forever and he never felt so sad and lonely, he then remembered how he wrapped himself in a ball and slept for most of the day. It was the only way he could be with his parents: in his dreams. He then remembered the touch he felt in his sleep; it wasn't his parents but a Stormcutter. His future father… and his future brother were there. He met his new family and his life turned for the better.

 **"When I first saw you Toothless I knew what I was doing was right. While you were afraid of me and Hiccup at first you quickly warmed up to us… your new family. I couldn't have been happier once I saw the both of you interacting with each other. Our family was complete and while I had some difficulties raising the both of you in the end it was worth it… and so know you know the truth."**

Hiccup and Toothless nodded their heads and turned to each other. They were grateful to Cloudjumper since without him they wouldn't have been brothers and he wouldn't have been their father. Hiccup then turned to the Stormcutter with a realization.

 **"My human parents probably think I'm dead don't they Dad?"**

That caught the elder dragon's attention as did Toothless's attention.

 **"I think so; the last thing I heard your mother yell at me was not to eat you. That's all humans think we dragons are good for: eating and killing. Either way I'm pretty sure a human's never heard of a dragon raising a human."**

 **"That's not what dragons are good for Dad,"** Hiccup interrupted. **"Dragons haves souls and feelings just like humans do. Why can't they see that?"**

 **"They are afraid and ignorant to think something like that Hiccup. Humans and dragons being enemies is not a new thing, it's been around for hundreds of years… many humans and dragons have lost their lives due to this endless war."**

 **"How awful,"** Toothless said. **"Even after so many deaths the world refuses to change."**

Hiccup thought about Astrid and the rest of the Vikings he saw, they killed dragons. If he was raised amongst them he probably would've been forced to do the same thing. After all Astrid was the same age as him and she already knew what her people did to dragons, she would become a dragon killer one day too no doubt.

 **"Dad,"** Hiccup quietly said.

 **"Yes son?"**

 **"I ran into a human, a girl. Her name was Astrid and she told me how those killings but that's not all I learned from our meeting."**

 **"What else did you learn son?"**

 **"I… I can speak a human's language… I think she called it Norse. If what you say is true about your first encounter with me as a baby then even now I can understand and speak both languages Dad!"**

Toothless let out a gasp but Cloudjumper just remained silent. He had a feeling Hiccup would be able to speak and understand the human language, the Viking language. This came as no surprise to him.

 **"I had a feeling you would."**

 **"You were right to take me here Dad; I can't imagine life without dragons! I can't imagine how it would've been like to lose this gift I have. But I'll never forget about my heritage and I don't hate humans since they're the reason I'm here. Maybe one day I can meet my human parents but hopefully that will be the day when they will understand dragons the way I do."**

 **"And I can't imagine life without you Hiccup!"** Toothless said as he gave Hiccup a lick. **"It's alright that you don't hate humans, Dad and I have to be thankful for them too since you're here. I would like to meet your human parents one day too… maybe we can do it together."**

Cloudjumper wasn't hurt by Hiccup's statement about meeting his human parents one day, if anything he was hopeful for it. Maybe his parents will see how much Hiccup was born to do; maybe they will understand why Hiccup was meant to be the link between their kinds.

 **"You were destined for great things Hiccup… you and Toothless both. You two are the living proof of a bond that a human and dragon can have together. You will change the way humans think about dragons and the way dragons think about humans."**

 **"I think so too,"** Hiccup answered.

 **"I will always be by Hiccup and we will accomplish such as task one way or another,"** Toothless stated with pride. **"If we can stop this war then we will."**

 **"As long as we're together brother,"** Hiccup said he hugged Toothless.

 **"Indeed, your futures will be bright and I know you two will change the world. I don't doubt that, my sons."**

The family didn't know what the future will hold for them but it didn't scare them at all. They were prepared to accomplish anything as long as they were together and as long as their bond existed. Hiccup's and Toothless's eyes began to close and they fell asleep instantly. It had been a long day; Cloudjumper gave each of them a lick on their head then laid his head down. His heart and spirit were warm… even after all that had happened he still had the love of his sons. He closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 11**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking_ \- human thoughts

 _ **thinking**_ **\- dragon thoughts**

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Four years have passed since Hiccup's discovery about his human origins, since his encounter with the village known as Berk. Hiccup was now ten years old along with his brother Toothless; he was maturing into a fine young boy. He had completed his studies and had learned all he needed to know about every single one of them. His knowledge about the dragon kind exceeded beyond the expectations of any dragon at the Sanctuary. While he was a thin and relatively small boy he made up for it with his smarts. Toothless was growing into a strong and healthy Night Fury. Being the rarest and most intelligent of the dragon species certainly put a lot of pressure on him to live up to such a title. However, like his brother he was a quick learner and everything he was taught stuck to him. His strength, speed, acrobatics in flying and senses matched no other dragon. He was practically invincible! The two of them made a good pair… and also a cute one at that.

Over the years the world seemed to grow larger and yet remained a mystery to the Viking population for none of them dared to venture out of their comfort zones. Hiccup knew about these new places, his father and brother traveled to them quite often now these days. Cloudjumper was more lenient now on letting the two boys explore the world, he figured that the more they knew the better. However, they had yet to go by themselves, Cloudjumper was always with them. Even so Hiccup and Toothless enjoyed these trips they took; they loved to see the outside word and what mysteries it held.

Lately though Hiccup's thoughts began to wander, he was wondering more and more about the other dragons out there that weren't aware of the Dragon Sanctuary. He knew Vikings killed dragons! He shivered every time he thought about it; he didn't want to think about it. But at the same time he had to accept reality for what it was. This was reality, the real world! He wanted to do something about those helpless dragons; he wanted to help them the only way he knew how. He had been talking about these thoughts with Toothless for a while now. He was surprised yet not surprised when the Night Fury agreed to what he was thinking. Toothless decided that no matter what Hiccup wanted to do relating to this war he would help. The only problem was trying to conniver their overprotective yet loving father, Cloudjumper. The King too would present an obstacle for their idea. Nevertheless, they decided what they wanted to do and they were going to discuss it with their father and the King… tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow morning quickly became today and there they were, Hiccup and Toothless were standing in front of the King and their father. They knew what they wanted to do to help out the dragon kind and keep the Vikings safe from harm at the same time. Hiccup and Toothless gave each other a nod and turned their attention toward the two adult dragons. Hiccup began to speak.

 **"We want to start bringing more dragons here,"** Hiccup stated as he kneeled before the King.

Cloudjumper and the King both let out a gasp. Cloudjumper felt like his heart stopped beating for a couple of seconds, if he wasn't in the presence of the King he would've fainted. The King regained his composure.

 **"What?"** the Bewilderbeast asked quietly. **"Did I hear you correctly young Hiccup?"**

 **"Yes, Toothless and I want to go into the outside world and bring back the dragons that are being hunted by the Vikings."**

 **"We want to help out both kinds by doing everyone a favor my King,"** Toothless added.

 **"Boys are you being serious?"** Cloudjumper asked.

 **"Yes Dad,"** they replied in unison.

 **"What brought all of this on?"** the Stormcutter questioned.

 **"Dad I've been thinking about this for a while now. I know those are the younger generation of dragons but they need shelter and protection. They're the ones who put themselves at risk by participating in those raids on Viking villages. Some of those dragons might even have families, Dad! The dragons of killed hundreds of Vikings and the Vikings have killed thousands of dragons… this endless war of bloodshed will never stop unless we find a solution that fits both kinds,"** Hiccup explained.

 **"Hiccup's right. He's been talking about this with me for several weeks and I agree with him. While this may not let the dragons and Vikings understand each other at least it will give both sides a sense of peace for a while. The less dragons that are out there the less likely a Viking is to kill one, the dragons won't feel the need to kill Vikings either because of this. Hiccup and I will end this war one day but for now this is a small step in that direction. Then another day will come when we can take the next step… this is our destiny Dad!"** Toothless stated with pride.

The Bewilderbeast and Stormcutter just stood there in awe as they heard the boys make their argument about the fate of the dragons from the outside world. They were amazed how such a large understanding could come from ones so young. Their determination and passion made them seem like they were older than ten years old, their wisdom went beyond the years of most dragons and humans.

 **"Are you sure you want to do this?"** the King asked.

 **"We've been talking about this together,"** Hiccup replied. **"The dragons that we can bring here will see how Toothless and I get along so easily. Seeing us can give them a sense of hope, a hope that one day this war will end and both sides can live together in peace."**

 **"I will come with you both then,"** Cloudjumper said.

 **"No Dad. Hiccup and I want to do this on our own. We love you so much and we love this place. But we want to show you and everyone here how far we've come since being hatchlings. We want to show you that you weren't wrong regarding your decision in taking Hiccup and adopting me."**

Cloudjumper felt his spirit light up, his heart was warm. The endless love his sons had for him was sometimes too much for him to take. His eyes filled with tears but he held them in for everyone's sake. The Bewilderbeast was deeply impressed with the level of responsibility these young ones wanted to take on. So young and yet so strong.

 **"Alright then,"** the Bewilderbeast stated. **"I will allow this if Cloudjumper agrees as well."**

Everyone turned their attention to the Stormcutter, Cloudjumper found himself in the center of attention. He felt no pressure though; he already knew what his answer was going to be. The boys were right… he was right too… this was their destiny. Fate brought all of them together to be a family and it was fate that would allow Hiccup and Toothless to make the right decisions regarding this war. That's why he took Hiccup and that's why he took Toothless as his sons. A smile spread across his face as looked both of his sons in the eyes.

 **"My answer is yes. You have my blessing for this."**

 **"Thank you Dad!"** boys cheered in unison.

 **"Then it's settled, Hiccup and Toothless you are allowed to start bringing more dragons here,"** the King said. **"The sanctuary was built for the specific purpose of protecting the dragon kind, you two will do a fine job of maintaining that purpose by finding those who of in need of shelter and food. I warn you though, be wary of the Vikings. Make sure you are safe and protect each other."**

 **"Of course we will your highness,"** Toothless said as he bowed.

 **"We wouldn't have it any other way,"** Hiccup added.

 **"Good then your quest can begin tomorrow; I will make an announcement to the rest of the dragons today in the afternoon. We shall let them know that there will be newcomers here soon… very soon."**

 **"I'm so proud of you two,"** Cloudjumper said as he embraced his sons with his wings.

The two boys leaned into their father's hug while the King gazed upon them with happiness and excitement. He was excited to see that Hiccup and Toothless were growing up and that they were ready to prove and show the world just how strong their bond really was.

 _ **The time of peace will come soon thanks to you two, while you say this is a small step in that direction but to your father and me it's a big step in your maturation.**_

Cloudjumper and his sons bowed to the Bewilderbeast one last time then went back to their nest, they waited patiently for the news. True to his word the King made the announcement in the afternoon and at first the dragons were shocked to hear how the young boys were ready to take on such a heavy responsibility but they were filled with joy once they saw the look of determination on the boys faces. They agreed to what they were going to set out to do. That night the dragons held a huge ceremony to celebrate not only Hiccup and Toothless but the future newcomers that would inhabit the sanctuary alongside them. It was night to remember for Hiccup and Toothless, a joyous night. After the celebration ended all went quiet as the dragons made their way back to their nests including Hiccup, Toothless and Cloudjumper. Sleep overtook Cloudjumper quickly but the boys were too excited to sleep, their eyes were wide open and their heads were filled with images of the dragons they would see in their future adventures.

 **"I can't wait for tomorrow Hiccup,"** Toothless whispered.

 **"I know me too; I can't wait to see all the dragons we'll come across,"** Hiccup replied in a quiet voice.

 **"They'll probably be shocked to see you Hiccup. I mean I'm sure none of those dragons have ever heard of a human speaking and understanding both human and dragon languages."**

 **"I think they'll get over that quickly once they see the trust you have in me. We have to show them our bond if we want them to come with us."**

 **"Well that shouldn't be too hard now. After all we're brothers and best friends."**

 **"Yeah. Goodnight Toothless."**

 **"Goodnight Hiccup."**

The boys managed to keep their eyes shut long enough for sleep to welcome them. Their dreams were full of all the lands the dragons occupied and how many there were of each species. They couldn't wait! However, even with these dreams they knew where they wanted to head first in their quest… Berk!

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 12**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking_ \- human thoughts

 _ **thinking**_ \- **dragon** **thoughts**

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 **"Be careful you two, remember to try to stay as hidden as possible from the humans,"** Cloudjumper said.

 **"We will Dad,"** Toothless replied.

 **"Don't worry we have each other,"** Hiccup stated.

 **"Be safe boys, we don't want to lose any of you,"** Clawdia said.

 **"We'll be back before you know it Aunt Clawdia,"** Hiccup reassured. **"We should be back in a day."**

 **"I know but still just be cautious you two,"** Clawdia responded.

Cloudjumper smiled at Clawdia's protectiveness and worry, he knew she cared for the boys just as much as he did. She was the closest thing to an aunt for the boys; she was their primary caretaker whenever he had to leave for whatever reason. He was very grateful for her love and affection for his sons.

 **"We must have faith Clawdia. After all these boys are the hope for both dragon and human kind,"** Cloudjumper said.

 **"Yes, I understand that."**

 **"Now boys,"** Cloudjumper addressed his sons. **"Stay together at all times and come home as soon as you can."**

 **"Yes Dad,"** Hiccup and Toothless said in unison.

 **"Oh and another thing,"** Cloudjumper stated. **"Come here you two!"**

Cloudjumper spread his wings out, the boys smiled with joy and jumped into his embrace. Cloudjumper nuzzled the both of them and gave them each a quick lick. The Stormcutter then placed the boys in one wing and opened the other one out to Clawdia. She understood what he wanted her to do and he joined in the hug. They stayed like that for a minute then it was time for the boys to take off. Hiccup and Toothless made their way to the opening of the Dragon Sanctuary.

 **"Alright Toothless do your thing!"** Hiccup exclaimed.

 **"I thought you never ask!"** Toothless replied with glee.

Toothless spread his wings and Hiccup got on his back, Toothless then jumped into the air with great speed. His wings began to flap and the brothers disappeared into the white soft clouds that painted the blue sky. Cloudjumper and Clawdia just stood where they were and watched.

 **"Do you think they'll be successful in their quest?"** Clawdia asked.

 **"Of course they will… look who we're talking about Clawdia,"** Cloudjumper replied. **"Those boys will stop at nothing until they achieve their goal of ending this war."**

 **"We can only give them our blessings and support can we?"**

 **"Yes, they need all the help they can get from us especially when the humans are too stubborn to change their opinions about dragons at the moment. We dragons have been more open minded ever since Hiccup came into the picture, the newcomers will surely understand that as well."**

 **"I know they will."**

With that Cloudjumper and Clawdia made their way back to their nests and started the countdown to the boy's safe return from the human world. Meanwhile, Hiccup and Toothless were flying over the ocean and avoiding the rocks at the same time. They already knew where their destination was due to having studied the landscape of the island, Hiccup took the liberty of remembering every location his family and he went to when they went traveling. Toothless also paid attention to his surroundings in order to be on the same level as Hiccup.

 **"We're almost there bud,"** Hiccup said. **"Once we reach Berk we can take a quick break."**

 **"Sounds good to me,"** Toothless replied. **"Then we can start looking for dragons!"**

 **"Yeah."**

The boys continued to fly over the vast ocean until the spotted the island known as Berk, Toothless started to fly lower just so he wouldn't catch the humans' attention. He steered toward the forest area and Hiccup held on tighter. It wasn't long before the found the cove that they had been in since four years ago. They landed quietly; Hiccup jumped off his brother's and scanned the surrounding area for any signs of life. Hiccup gave Toothless a pat as a way of telling him it was okay and the Night Fury nodded his.

 **"This place hasn't changed a bit bud,"** Hiccup said as he sat down next to Toothless. **"It seems like only yesterday we came here for the first time."**

 **"This place has stayed the same and yet look at us,"** Toothless said as he stretched out his wings to make a point. **"We're bigger, taller and smarter than were four years ago."**

Intrigued by Toothless's statement Hiccup stood and went to the small pond of water, he looked at his reflection. He saw that Toothless was right, while he still wasn't muscular he had grown taller and he looked fit. His hair had grown a little longer too and his freckles had become more pronounced. His intelligence and knowledge had increased over these last years. He turned back to his brother; he noticed that the Night Fury's body had become more muscular and large in size. His flight navigation had improved since they last time as well, Toothless was certainly living up to his Night Fury blood.

 **"You're right Toothless; we have changed a little haven't we?"**

 **"Yeah."**

 **"How the years have passed by so quickly,"** Hiccup stated.

The boys went back to relaxing for a little while longer before deciding to begin their search. They both stretched their limbs and Hiccup climbed on Toothless. The Night Fury flew onto the walls surrounding the cove and started to walk around the forest.

 **"Remember Dad said to be careful Hiccup,"** Toothless reminded his brother.

 **"I know, as long as we stay away from the village we should be fine."**

The day seemed to have passed by quickly, night was slowly approaching and the stars started to appear. They boys were growing exhausted from their endless search; they couldn't believe that they didn't find even one dragon here!

 **"There's no dragon here,"** Hiccup said sadly. **"Maybe we should've gone to another island."**

 **"Don't be discouraged Hiccup,"** Toothless said trying to cheer his brother up. **"You live and you learn."**

 **"Yeah I guess… I really wanted to help these dragons though."**

 **"Well sometimes we have to-"**

Toothless didn't have time to his statement as his sensitive hearing picked up something… something coming from the distance. Toothless let out a growl while Hiccup poked his face.

 **"Toothless let's hide, quickly!"** Hiccup exclaimed.

 **"Got it."**

The brothers quickly hid several large rocks that were surrounded by bushes. They took a peek out of their hiding place just to see what was coming toward them. They could hear footsteps, large footsteps. Suddenly a large body burst from the brush of trees and bushes, it was a dragon! A Deadly Nadder to be precise. Hiccup and Toothless stared at the dragon with shock and excitement. There were dragons here after all. They saw blood running down the Deadly Nadder's leg and it was crying out in pain. Just when they were about to step out of their hiding place to help it they heard more footsteps coming toward them. They also heard shouting.

"Capture the beast!"

"Do not let it escape!"

"We'll make that monster pay for what it has done!"

Hiccup and Toothless had looks of fear on their faces once they saw humans leap thought the same spot the Deadly Nadder came out of. The Vikings had been following the poor injured dragon, they saw the humans were carrying weapons and nets!

 **"Nets!"** Hiccup exclaimed.

 **"Shh Hiccup they'll hear us,"** Toothless replied.

They saw the Deadly Nadder try to escape by flying but it was too late; the nets trapped her wings and pulled her to the ground. She landed hard on the ground and let out a cry of pain. Hiccup's eyes filled with tears as he watched the dragon suffering right before him. His hands clutched into fists as Toothless started to growl again. The Viking wrapped the Deadly Nadder tightly so it couldn't escape, that's when the Vikings split apart into two lines. A Viking of large stature made his way through the lines of humans, Hiccup and Toothless watched with awe. They were amazed at how strong and muscular the Viking looked. He was different from all the other Vikings since they went out of their way to please him. He wore a large fur cloak around his shoulders, a chain mail tunic, spiked braces over his wrists and fur boots. His features were very defined and pronounced as well; he possessed green eyes and a large red beard along with red hair. His looks alone could send people and dragons run for cover. He had a proud look on his face as he walked toward the dragon, once he got close enough he put a foot on the dragon's injured leg and stepped hard. The Deadly Nadder let out another cry.

 **"No!"** Hiccup whispered fiercely.

 **"Hiccup calm down, we can't take them all on by ourselves,"** Toothless replied despite the fact that he was just as upset as him.

Hiccup didn't move but his anger was reaching its limit. The large Viking then stepped closer to the dragon's face and leaned down next to it. The boys heard what the Viking was about to say to it.

"Vile beast! How dare you set foot here! Your kind are nothing but savages who kill any human you can get your claws on!" he screamed. "Men, women, children… babies!"

Hiccup didn't understand why there was such an emphasis on the word "babies" but he lost interested as he saw the Viking walk back toward the vegetation. The other Vikings nodded their heads and grabbed the nets that trapped the Deadly Nadder. The dragon couldn't do anything as it was dragged by the humans. They disappeared into the night. The boys stepped out of their hiding place and Hiccup let out the frustrated groan he had been holding in all this time. He rubbed his hands through his hair and started to pace around. Toothless could tell he was very upset; he placed a wing over Hiccup and pulled his brother close to him. They stayed like that for several minutes before Hiccup broke the tension.

 **"Why Toothless?"** Hiccup asked. **"Why do they have to be so mean to dragons?"**

 **"That's just how it is Hiccup. That's why we're here… the reason why we were born."**

Hiccup remembered his father's face as Toothless said that, he recalled how his father and the other dragons at the Sanctuary always said that he and Toothless were the future. The ones who would bring about a new era of peace. Hiccup understood that he couldn't afford to let his emotions run wild at the moment, he couldn't lose focus. His brother and him came here to find dragons and that's what they were going to do. Even if it meant trespassing on a Viking's village.

 **"Come one bud, we're going to that village and we're going to take back our comrade!"**

 **"That's the Hiccup I know and love."**

Hiccup jumped on Toothless's back and they ran through the forest dodging the trees, bushes and rocks. They saw lights coming from up ahead and they knew that were going in the right direction. Once they reached another hiding place that's when they saw the village. Not surprisingly there was barley any one out and the people who were out were already heading to back their homes in order to get ready for bed. Hiccup scanned the area to see where they would take the Deadly Nadder and that's when he saw a large ring, it was caged on the outside and had strong wooden doors with a heavy lock.

 **"There,"** Hiccup said as he pointed.

 **"The ring, of course. A human's natural fear of dragons would allow them to cage up dragons."**

 **"We stick to the shadows Toothless, no one can see us and no one can hear us either. We have to be silent and quick."**

 **"No offense Hiccup but you're talking to a Night Fury here. The fastest and smartest of all the dragon species."**

 **"And that's why I love and have faith in you. We're going to have some trouble breaking it out of there though, we can't break those locks and doors using your abilities without waking the entire village up."**

 **"It's doubtful that they would leave the keys just anywhere Hiccup unless…"**

Just then Toothless caught sight of a Viking with missing limbs placing some tools in a small hut. Toothless saw that there were weapons hanging from the ceiling and around the hut in general. Toothless thought what was the point in going on a wild goose chase for keys when Hiccup could just use another tool as a key.

 **"There, if you can find something sharp and sturdy enough you can break open those locks. That hut right there has a lot of weapons and tools, one of those should be good enough to do the job."**

 **"Toothless, my brother, you never cease to amaze me."**

Toothless flash him a gummy grin and then they made their way in the village. They avoided the houses and walked through the shadows. Once they reached the hut Hiccup managed to find a tool that would pick a lock and they quickly ran to the ring. Hiccup messed with the lock for several seconds before it unlocked and they could enter. Toothless walked in first and got far enough to see where they were keeping the dragon locked up. When Toothless was out of sight and just when Hiccup was about to enter as well that when the world stopped.

"Hey!" a voice cried out.

Hiccup felt his blood run cold as he turned and saw a familiar face, the girl who he bumped into four years ago. Astrid.

"Hey it's you!" she exclaimed.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 13**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

thinking- human thoughts

 **thinking- dragon thoughts**

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

"Hey it's you!" she exclaimed.

 **"Oh no!"** Hiccup whispered loudly to himself.

Toothless heard his brother's distress and turned around to see Hiccup frozen in fear looking at an opposite direction. Hiccup's eyes were facing him while he body was facing the Viking girl, Toothless didn't need Hiccup to say anything in order for him to know what was going on. His green eyes said it all, they had been caught! Toothless stayed where he was at and waited to see how Hiccup would get them out of this.

"Again with the weird language! Speak Norse!" Astrid complained.

 **"Shhhh,"** Hiccup said. "I mean… shhhh… I'm sorry Astrid."

"That's better and I see you remember my name. I'm just sad that you learned it from my mother's yelling rather than from me," Astrid replied in a low voice. "Now why are you here? What happened to you the day we met? It's been four years already."

"I know… I know but I… I had do something important that day. I couldn't stay here so I had to leave."

"Why? What did you have to do?"

Hiccup didn't know how to answer her, when they first met he didn't tell her about his dragon family. About the predicament he was in at the time regarding his origins. He couldn't just march up to her and tell her about the dragons and the quest they were on at the moment. She would wake up the entire village and then they would be in big trouble.

"I had to find myself," Hiccup responded.

"What does that mean?" Astrid questioned.

"It's okay if you don't understand… I honestly don't think anyone but me could understand that."

"You're still so weird even after all these years."

"Is that bad?"

"No it's actually quite entertaining."

"I don't know whether or not to consider that as a compliment or an insult," Hiccup said sarcastically.

Hiccup noticed how much Astrid had changed over the years. She was taller, very fit despite being a ten year old and her features were more defined. She was very beautiful… that's when Hiccup started to blush. He smacked himself softly on the cheek at the feeling he was experiencing. Astrid gave him a confused look once he did this and Toothless get out a low chuckle.

"So… um… anyway what are you doing out so late? Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Hiccup asked trying to get his mind off of those feelings.

"Well mister I was going to sleep but…" she started. "I felt like something was off… I felt like there was something in the village that shouldn't be here. And low and behold I run into you again."

"You Vikings and you're senses," Hiccup whispered under his breath. "Well look at the time you should be going back to bed now since there's nothing to see here."

Hiccup waked over to her and tried to escort her away but Astrid had other ideas. She turned back to him and was about to stop him until her sudden action made Hiccup trip. That wouldn't have been so bad if not for the fact that Hiccup landed on her!

"Oof!" both said in unison.

Hiccup was on top of her struggling to get his balance while Astrid was rubbing her head from the trip. That's when they made eye contact with each other; their faces were just inches apart. Hiccup felt his heart beat faster as did Astrid. Her blue eyes pierced his green eyes and vice versa. Hiccup quickly got off of her and took eight steps backward to the opening of the ring. His face was as red as a Monstrous Nightmare.

"I'm so so so so so so so sorry," Hiccup said with much emphasis. "I didn't mean for that… I was just trying to-"

"No it's okay… really," Astrid replied as she stood up. "But I'm not leaving until you tell me why and what you are doing here? Are your parents here with you? I remember you said you had a father and a brother when we met."

Hiccup stopped blushing once he remembered the situation was in, his eyes looked back at Toothless who was sporting an entertaining look on his face along with a smile. His eyes turned back to Astrid.

"I… I can't tell you Astrid."

"Why not? You're technically trespassing in this village and you're lucky it was me who found you instead of one of the men… or worse the chief."

"I know but… I still can't tell you. I… just can't. You wouldn't understand… at least not yet anyway."

"What is it then? What is so hard to understand?"

"Everything!" Hiccup exclaimed just so only she could hear him. "Everything Astrid. This ring, this village, this world. You! The Vikings!"

"Me? The Vikings? What are you talking about, you're a Viking too. I mean you're dad slayed all of those dragons, how can you not be a Viking?"

"See. You don't understand, you don't understand me… you don't know who I am."

"You're right I don't know who you are because you never told me and even know you're still not telling me what I want to know. I want to know you… whoever you are."

Toothless stirred a little at where this conversation was going, with his enhanced hearing he could hear everything they were saying. They really were in a tight situation, these Vikings and their curiosity! But he couldn't deny there was a connection between his brother and the Viking girl, even though they only met twice now but it seemed like they had been a part of each other's worlds for a long time. A human boy with the dragons and a human girl with the Vikings. Toothless turned his attention back to the other large set of doors that stood behind him. He could hear the cries of the Deadly Nadder but there was something else that caught his attention… the cries of other dragons!

"But you can't know… if you did you would tell everyone and then the whole world would be thrown into chaos," Hiccup said.

"Why? Why do you make it sound like you know everything, did you plan everything to the smallest detail?"

"No I'm just using common sense. You Vikings are all the same, you don't see the big picture and you just want to see everything you're way."

"Excuse me!" Astrid exclaimed as she got closer to Hiccup. "How dare you come into this village and mock the Vikings here! These men and women work every day to ensure that their families are safe and the chief does all that he can to make the dragons pay for what they do."

"That's what I mean, you Vikings think that you're the only ones with feelings. You think that you're the only ones with problems and that you're the only ones with love ones to protect. Well that's not the case Astrid, you need to stop being so fearful of the outside world and be more open minded to all the possibilities it has to offer!"

Astrid stopped talking; she was shocked at what this boy had to say at her kind, which included her. Hiccup stood firm as he made his declaration to her, he hoped that she would just leave but he knew she would be too stubborn to. After all this was the same girl who wouldn't stop questioning him years before. The tension between the two of them was awkward.

"You really aren't going to tell me who you are, are you?" Astrid finally asked.

"I don't know if I can Astrid; please believe me when I say I wish I could. I wish I could tell you everything about me and what I'm doing here but I can't because… I'll be endangering the people I care about."

Ironically Astrid did understand more than Hiccup was letting on, she understood the need to protect others especially the ones you love. She was a Viking that's what they were known for… that's why they had to be strong both physically and mentally. She had seen good men and women die for those very reasons but they were given great glory at their funerals and brought honor to their families. She was sure that those reasons would have to be passed on when she had children of her own. If what this boy was saying about protecting his family was true then maybe he wasn't so different from her then. Or that weird. All he had to do was keep his identity a secret.

"So in other words I can't know who you are since you'll put your family in danger?" Astrid questioned.

"Yes please understand Astrid this. But I can tell you that while I'm here in this village I won't hurt anyone and I'm not going to damage it in any sort of way… unless if you say otherwise. You said so yourself Astrid that day we ran into each other, I'm not a threat. That hasn't changed and that never will, please believe that."

She knew she was going to regret her choice but at the same time the thought of this boy being taken as a prisoner by the village scared her. She didn't want him to suffer and she knew what she said about him not being a threat was true. She took his hands into hers and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Will I ever see you again?"

"I… I don't know… but I hope so," Hiccup answered truthfully. "I hope we can."

"I hope so too," Astrid replied. "I… I will take my leave now. Whatever business you have here please do it as fast as you can, leave here quickly. I don't want anyone else to catch you."

"Thank you Astrid… for everything and for understanding."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't run it in smart guy," Astrid said as she punched him in the arm.

"Ow," Hiccup said while rubbing his arm.

"Goodnight and goodbye mysterious boy with the dragon teeth around his neck," Astrid said as she quickly headed to her home before her parents realized she was gone.

It was a good thing Hiccup couldn't see her as she was turned around, she didn't like people to see her cry. The tears fell onto the wind as she ran; she could feel her heart break a little. All for some boy she barely knew. Hiccup saw the young girl disappear into the night and stayed frozen for a few seconds. He let out a sigh; he had to end this war quickly. He wanted to be able to live with that girl in a time of peace, without worry of the dragons and Vikings killing each other. Just then he felt something bump into his arm.

 **"Hey there you heartbreaker,"** Toothless teased.

"Toothless!" Hiccup gasped. **"I am not a heartbreaker."**

 **"If you say so,"** Toothless replied. **"Come on heartbreaker let's bust these dragons out of here."**

 **"I said I am not a- wait did you say 'dragons' Toothless?"**

 **"Yup, looks like these Vikings got a whole stash of them."**

 **"Looks like we got more than we bargained for,"** Hiccup sighed as he made his way towards the doors.

Before they continued any further the boys made sure to close the door but they didn't lock it. Once they were closed they saw that the other doors were being locked by a large log; they deduced that all they had to do was to turn the chains that were holding it. Hiccup pointed to the wheel and Toothless allowed him to jump on his back, within minutes the chains and the log were being lifted up and the doors were opened. Toothless and Hiccup landed on the ground and they entered. There was nothing in sight expect a large stone room and stairs leading downward. Hiccup held onto Toothless and they walked down the stairs. The closer they got the louder the cries became. That's they saw them! There were multiple cages with chains leading into them; the forms of dragons could be seen even if it was dark. Taking in a deep breath Hiccup motioned for Toothless to keep moving. Once they were in the middle of the cages that when Hiccup stepped off of Toothless.

 **"Hello everyone,"** Hiccup stated calmly.

That's when all the dragons' eyes opened and they turned their attention to the human boy. Each of them started to growl once they caught sight of him. They struggled even more in their chains and fought against the cages.

 **"A human!"**

 **"What's it doing here?"**

 **"Filthy human scum!"**

 **"Spawn of the people who imprisoned us!"**

Toothless began to growl once he heard the insults that were being directed toward his brother and he stepped forward and spread his wings as far out as he could. His pupils became more cat-like as he took a stance.

 **"Enough!"** Toothless exclaimed.

 **"No Toothless, it's okay. At this point they have every right to hate me,"** Hiccup replied to his brother's actions. **"Dragons please hear me out. I am not here to hurt you."**

 **"What it this? The human can speak our language."**

 **"And he can understand us!"**

 **"What magic is this?"**

 **"Listen I know you are confused as to what is going on but my brother and I are here to save you from your imprisonment,"** Hiccup stated.

 **"Save us? A human? Your brother?"**

 **"The human is your brother young Night Fury?"**

 **"Yeah and what's wrong with that?"** Toothless said daring anyone to challenge him. **"He is and will forever be my brother. We were raised together by our father and among other dragons. Dragons from all the species of our kind."**

" **You were raised together? A human and a dragon? That's impossible not to mention unheard of."**

 **"We know but it's because of that very reason that we are here together trying to saving you all,"** Hiccup replied. **"I am a human, I will not deny that. But I am a human with a dragon's soul, I was born with this gift to understand and speak both languages of the humans and dragons. My father, Cloudjumper, took me as a baby to be raised by dragons. Over the last ten years I have learned everything I could about all of the dragon species. And during this time I have learned about the endless war between both sides. My brother and I decided to venture out into the world to find dragons and bring them back with us to our home."**

 **"Let me get this straight. You are human who his defying his own kind just to protect and save dragons?"**

 **"Yes, there is a place called the Dragon Sanctuary. It's far away from all human contact and is isolated on a large body of water. There's plenty of food and shelter there for everyone, it's also a place where the alpha lives. The King of the dragons set up that place for this purpose."**

 **"A sanctuary for dragons?"**

 **"Sign us up!"**

 **"Wait a minute. How do we know we can trust you?"**

Just then Hiccup took out the tool he still had to open the door and made his way toward the first cage he saw. He cracked open the lock and stepped into the cage with no hesitation, he walked to the dragon's form. There stood a Monstrous Nightmare with shackles and chains wrapped around its legs and neck. Its wings were tied down with rope along with netting and there was muzzle on his mouth. Hiccup placed his hand on the dragon's body.

 **"Please let me help you,"** he said.

The Monstrous Nightmare knew he had no choice and placed his neck down next to the boy. Hiccup managed to unlock the restraints on its neck and mouth along with the ones on its legs. Toothless walked into the cage and cut away the nets and rope using his teeth. Once free the Monstrous Nightmare stretched out his wings and his neck. He then stared at the two boys.

 **"You have my thanks and my gratitude,"** he said as he bowed to them. **"I will follow you no matter where you go."**

 **"Thank you for trusting us. What's your name?"** Hiccup asked.

 **"Hookfang."**

 **"Well then Hookfang can you help Toothless get the nets and rope off the others while I unlock the cages and the shackles?"**

 **"It would be my pleasure. But you never told us your name dear boys."**

 **"My name is Hiccup."**

 **"And my name is Toothless."**

 **"Come on dragons weren't meant to be locked in cages. They were meant to fly,"** Hiccup stated.

With that the boys along with Hookfang go to work and began to release the dragons one by one.

 **Will Hiccup and Toothless be able to save all the dragons? Will they get caught? Until next chapter everyone! :)**

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 14**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 **Hey everyone I'm back, sorry I haven't updated in a while. *bows head in apology***

 **Thank you all so much for continuing to read this fanfic, I really appreciate you all for taking such an interest in it.**

The injured Deadly Nadder was the last one to be released; she gave the boys grateful licks to their faces. They laughed a little then Hiccup petted her a little and Toothless nuzzled her. Her name was Stormfly apparently and it surprised them that she was only a year older than them. Hiccup placed her on Hookfang's and wrapped her gently in some loose rope that hadn't been cut too badly. Thankfully she didn't seem to mind.

 **"Okay everyone let's get going,"** Hiccup stated. **"Follow me and Toothless, we will guide you to freedom!"**

The dragons quietly cheered and they followed the two boys out to the outside world, once they were in the ring they made their way to the large wooden doors. Hiccup and Toothless carefully opened them and took a peek outside. There was no Viking in sight and they nodded to each other. Hiccup turned to face the dragons.

 **"Listen up everyone,"** he said. **"As soon as we get out of here I want you to take off. Don't look behind you and don't stop flying. Understood?"**

All the dragons nodded their heads in agreement and Hiccup jumped onto Toothless's back. The boys were leading a Monstrous Nightmare, a Deadly Nadder, a Gronckle, a Hideous Zippleback and several Terrible Terrors. All the dragons and human walked out of the ring and immediately took off. Unfortunately Hiccup and Toothless failed to see the twin Viking boy and girl messing around with the flocks of sheep. They noticed the large figures jumping into the sky, they knew what they were!

"Dragons!" the boy cried.

"The dragons! They escaped!" the girl exclaimed.

Hiccup and Toothless froze with fear but they kept flying, they had been caught!

 **"Keep flying everyone, like I said don't look back!"** Hiccup yelled.

 **"You heard the boy keep flying!"** Hookfang shouted as he kept his focus ahead of him.

Just then the entire village woke up from their peaceful slumber and got outside to see the escape happening right before them. Some had torches in their hands and others were running to the weapon shack.

"Get them!"

"Don't let them escape!"

"Kill the beasts if you have to just don't let them escape!" a booming voice exclaimed.

Hiccup didn't turn around but his vision caught sight of the large Viking they had seen earlier when Stormfly was captured. He looked angry… very angry!

"You heard Chief Stoick! Use the catapults!"

"Shoot them down with anything you got!"

Suddenly the air was filled with rocks and arrows, the dragons struggled to avoid all of the items.

 **"Toothless hurry get us out of – ah!"** Hiccup cried.

Toothless heard his brother cry out in pain and he saw what had happened. An arrow had lodged itself into his arm; Hiccup used his other arm to clutch it. Blood was pouring down his arm and Hiccup was losing his balance on Toothless.

 **"Hiccup!"** Toothless exclaimed. **"You're injured!"**

Toothless's eyes became cat-like as he allowed his anger to take control over him.

 _ **How dare they hurt my brother! These Vikings will pay!**_

Despite Hiccup's warnings he turned around and charged up an attack. But before he could unleash it Hiccup pulled on his neck. Hiccup knew his brother was mad but they didn't have time for this besides their mission was to help both dragons and humans. Even if the humans hated them.

 **"I'm fine… just keep flying… we have get back home!"** Hiccup stated.

 **"But Hiccup-"** Toothless started.

 **"Keep flying everyone!"** Hiccup yelled. **"Remember Toothless we have to make sure a day will come where we can all live in peace."**

Hiccup's eyes were practically begging Toothless not to do anything stupid that might affect their quest. Toothless was hesitant but then he realized what Hiccup was saying was true. They were the future! As much as he hated to let this go but at the same time he remembered that they were dragons counting on them. Their father was waiting for them to come home along with the other dragons. Toothless stopped his attack and then turned back.

 **"Thank you Toothless,"** Hiccup whispered.

 **"Don't mention it."**

 **"Okay everyone we're almost there!"** Hiccup yelled.

The dragons roared and picked up the speed along with Toothless, several more items came their way. The Gronckle named Meatlug got hit with a rock and almost fell down to the earth but the Hideous Zippleback named Barf and Belch managed to pull him back up. He regained his focus and kept trying to avoid the flying objects. Two of the five Terrible Terrors got several scratches on their bodies but Hookfang placed them on his back next to Stormfly. They held onto the rope that kept Stormfly attached to Hookfang.

The shouts of the Vikings were filled with venom; they were determined to kill at least one of them. Especially the chief it seems. The dragons managed to get to a higher altitude and were free from the weapons being thrown at them. They escaped!

 **"We did it!"** Hiccup said as he winced in pain.

 **"Hiccup don't get too excited you'll make your injury worse!"** Toothless stated in a worried tone.

 **"Don't worry I'll be fine... after all we like to wrestle and you've managed to get me several times with those teeth and claws of yours."**

 **"This is a different situation Hiccup, that's an arrow! Not to mention it's embedded in your arm."**

 **"Toothless… everything is going to be okay. Trust me."**

Toothless wanted to argue with his brother a little more but he didn't want to risk getting him excited again. He whined a little before turning his attention back to the path in front of him. He couldn't believe he allowed Hiccup to get hurt and forgot about this motivation for this quest. That's why Hiccup was there he guessed… to keep him whole. He was the muscle and Hiccup was the brains.

 _ **I have to get stronger! For Hiccup and for the rest of my family, I must get stronger in both body and mind.**_

 **"Toothless,"** Hiccup called out to his brother. **"It's wasn't your fault."**

Toothless gave him a look of shock, Hiccup knew what he was thinking of!

 **"How did you-"**

 **"You're my brother, I know everything about you. Ever since we were little you would always get upset whenever I got hurt… even if it was on accident."**

Toothless knew what he was talking about, one time when they went on one of their journeys to the outside world with their father Hiccup got hurt. It was an accident; he let his naive side get the best of him. He just wanted to play with the yak but he managed to scare it instead, Toothless managed to get out of the way but unfortunately seven year old Hiccup didn't notice the large yak coming towards him. Hiccup got knocked out of the way and landed right on his side. Thankfully Cloudjumper lead the yak way long enough for Toothless to pick up Hiccup and move away from plain sight. Hiccup suffered a large gash on his elbow, several bruises on his leg and a huge headache that day. Cloudjumper quickly got them both back to the sanctuary and went to Aquajaw's nest. She used her water to clean his wounds and then he went to Clawdia since she picked up some herbs for his gash. The King also was able to freeze a small bundle of water that was wrapped in a cloth brought by Scorcheye to be placed on Hiccup's head.

For the rest of the day Toothless laid next to Hiccup as the boy recovered from his wounds. He cried a little too until Hiccup started to pet his head and his father came in to nuzzled them both. They didn't blame Toothless for what happened; they knew it was an accident. His family could be so forgiving even when he didn't deserve it. He deserved to be punished but Cloudjumper never gave it to him, he just lectured him on how he needed to be more careful next time. He never forgot about that day.

 **"It was my fault then and it's my fault now Hiccup."**

 **"Toothless please you know I don't blame you for what happened back then. You didn't mean any harm; you just wanted to play with the yak."**

 **"I know but it was stupid of me to think it wouldn't be scared of me. It wasn't a human so I thought that would be a good thing but instead it was the same as a human. It got scared of me and you got hurt as a result."**

 **"You were hopeful not stupid."**

 **"But-"**

 **"I mean it Toothless; I love you even when you make mistakes. The fact that you do so much to make up for them shows that you truly care. That's all I could ask for."**

The Night Fury flew quietly after that; he contemplated Hiccup's statements about him. Hiccup never blamed him and he ever would… not even when he would mess up badly. Just then Toothless's sensitive smell caught the scent of Hiccup's blood but the boy was doing a successful job of keeping his pain hidden. However, he kept rubbing his arm as a way to not lose feeling in it. He winced every once and a while too, the sight of the wound made Toothless shudder.

 _ **I wonder how the Vikings would feel if they would have discovered that they hurt one of their own kind. Then again… Hiccup isn't a Viking, he may have the blood of one but he wasn't one.**_

Hiccup was trying to hide the pain but his arm was throbbing like crazy as the blood dripped all over. His head was stating to hurt and his body was shaking. He began to pinch his face as a way to ignore the pain but it wasn't working. He hoped that they were almost there.

As luck would have it they were. The sanctuary was right in front of him and Hiccup had a big smile on his face. He turned back to the dragons following them.

 **"There it is everyone… the Dragon Sanctuary!"** he cheered.

 **"Oh how wonderful!"** Meatlug stated.

 **"It's glorious!"** Hookfang exclaimed.

 **"Wait till you see what it looks like on the inside,"** Toothless added as he picked up the speed. **"Follow me when we enter through the tunnels."**

The young Night Fury flew straight into the tunnels with the dragons following suit, Hiccup struggled to stay awake as his vision started to become blurry. Sweat beaded down his face as well but he stayed strong. A huge light came into view and they were in the sanctuary, the dragons landed gently. Immediately they were approached by the others.

 **"They're back! The boys did it!"**

 **"Call for Cloudjumper and Clawdia!"**

 **"They brought newcomers!"**

 **"Everyone please find Aquajaw and the other Scauldrons, we need medical help now!"** Toothless yelled. **"Hiccup's been shot!"**

Gasps filled the air and the dragons began to scurry around hoping to find who they were looking for. Hiccup tried to get off of Toothless gently but he could no longer hide it anymore. He fell! Toothless eyes widen at the sight of his brother falling onto the ground.

 **"Hiccup!"** Toothless screamed.

Hiccup could hear his name being called but he was too much in pain to reply. He wanted to tell them he was fine but that would have been a lie. He could feel the dragons gather around him.

 **"Hiccup!"** his father's voice called to him.

That was the last thing he heard before he slipped into unconsciousness, the arrow still sticking out of his arm. His blood warmed the pale skin it slid down on.

Meanwhile in Berk the sun was beginning to rise and the Vikings were arguing amongst each other as too whose fault it was that the dragons escaped. The fact that they didn't even manage to kill one upset them even more. The chief stood tall amongst the crowd and in a booming voice got their attention.

"Enough!" he yelled. "Today was a great embarrassment to the Viking kind; the dragons we fought so hard to capture have fled. How? I don't know and it seems like we're never going to found out."

Some of the Vikings bowed their heads in shame over their loss. Never in their lifetimes had something like this had happened.

"As of today the Vikings will start the search for the Dragon's nest. Those beasts must have a secret place for them to hide at, that's how they've managed to avoid capture. Well that secret place will soon be revealed! We Vikings will start our journey in three days, so everyone will have enough time to pack and get prepared! Is that clear?"

"Yes Chief!" the Vikings answered in unison.

"Very good, you are all dismissed!" Stoick exclaimed.

The Vikings began to cheer their support for their great leader and Chief Stoick then went to his house to visit his wife Valka before returning to his duties. The Vikings started to clean up the mess they made when they were trying to kill the dragons. While this was going on Astrid took a peek outside her window at what the Vikings were doing. She was supposed to be asleep at the moment but after the crazy night she had it was nearly impossible.

"The dragons escaped," she whispered. "So Tuffnut and Ruffnut were telling the truth."

She heard her parents panicking earlier just as soon as she snuck back into her room. She heard how they were told that the dragons were escaping. Apparently the twins were messing around with the sheep late in the night.

"Those idiots," Astrid said. "If it wasn't for their big mouths the village wouldn't have been in such a panic. Looks like my parents might be going on a journey soon now."

While she would missed them she still had Gobber to watch over her, he was the unofficial caretaker to all of the Viking children. He was fun to be around since he had a likable personality but still she wished her village had just ignored the twins then again they would have found out about the dragon's escape either way. Her thoughts wandered to the boy she had meet two times as of now.

 _I wonder if he's gone by now… he has to be. The village would have found him by now if he was still here._

Just then Astrid felt a severe pain hit her heart, she gasped a little. Her hand clutched her chest and she panted.

 _What was that? What is this pain I'm feeling?_

The pain quickly vanished but she could feel as if it was still there. She sat up from her bed and tried to calm herself.

"It's gone… but why do I feel so sad all of a sudden?" she asked herself. "That boy… that boy… what a coincidence that he comes to the village and the dragons are gone. I wonder… if he had anything to do with that. But he's a human… a small boy… how could he have accomplished such a task?"

Little did she know that the pain she had just experienced was the connection she had with Hiccup and little did she know her assumption was not far from the truth.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 15**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Pain. Burning. That's all he felt and the moment. He could hear voices all around him but he couldn't tell which one belonged to who. It felt like his arm wanted to come off at the moment! He could feel something moving him around, it was scaly yet comforting. He tried to open his eyes but his vision was still blurry. Everything looked like a blotch so he just closed his eyes again.

Cloudjumper had gathered his son in his wings and hurried towards the Scauldrons' nest. The panic he felt at the moment was unbearable; he couldn't stand to see any one of his children in pain. His other son Toothless followed behind him as did Clawdia. He saw Aquajaw!

 **"Aquajaw! Quick! Hiccup's been injured!"** Cloudjumper exclaimed.

 **"What?"** Aquajaw questioned. **"What happened?"**

 **"He was shot with an arrow by the Vikings!"** Toothless added. **"The dragons we brought here have some injuries on them too."**

 **"Bring him here!"** Aquajaw stated. **"Moorin and Bluetail come with me, Tider and Emeraldeye check up on the newcomers. Also call for the Terrible Terrors named Smallfry and Cadmus; I'll need their assistance as well."**

 **"I'll do it!"** Clawdia stated. **"Cloudjumper, Toothless… you two stay with Hiccup."**

Two Scauldrons named Tider and Emeraldeye went to the dragons from Berk and addressed their wounds. The Stormcutter hesitantly gave his son to Aquajaw and she started to wash the blood off of his arm along with Bluetail and her mate Moorin, they rinsed it thoroughly while being gentle.

 **"We'll need the Terrible Terrors to remove the arrowhead but for now Bluetail snap off the body of it. Gently though and Moorin while she's doing that clean the wound."**

 **"Alright,"** Bluetail replied.

 **"On it,"** Moorin responded.

Bluetail used her sharp teeth to bite off the body of the arrow while Moorin poured more water over Hiccup's wound. Cloudjumper and Toothless kept their distance since they didn't want to be in the way, just then two Terrible Terrors came running in with Clawdia.

 **"Go to him you two,"** Clawdia begged.

 **"Don't worry you all we'll make sure Hiccup is fine,"** Smallfry said then he turned to Cadmus. **"Let's get to work."**

 **"Let's do it,"** Cadmus agreed.

The Terrible Terrors rushed to Hiccup's side and waited for Aquajaw to instruct them.

 **"Okay you two, we've managed to control the bleeding but there will be more when the arrowhead is taken out. Since our mouths are too big to get it that's where you both come in,"** Aquajaw stated. **"First rinse out your mouths so there's no risk of anything getting into the wound, then carefully reach into it… if there are any more particles of the arrow remove them as well. Do you understand?"**

 **"We understand!"** they answered in unison.

 **"Good now Moorin and Bluetail move out of the way, they need to stay focused. But as soon as the arrowhead is out we need to put pressure on it so he doesn't lose any more blood."**

The Scauldrons nodded their heads and moved; the Terrible Terrors jumped onto the nest and began to analyze the wound. They saw the arrowhead and Cadmus reach into the opening, once he bit onto it Smallfry reached out as well. Their mouths were touching the arrowhead and carefully they pulled it out. More blood started to leak out and that's when the Scauldrons placed their wings over the wound. Aquajaw would occasionally pour more water over it as they did so.

Cloudjumper, Clawdia and Toothless just stood by and waited, a crowd of dragons waited behind them as well even the ones rescued from Berk. The King had been notified of what had happened to the young boy but he waited for the news in his nest. He was too deep in shock and thought to be at the Scauldrons' nest.

 _ **Please Hiccup, live. We can't lose you… you are an important part of this community. Son of Cloudjumper and brother of Toothless… live.**_

Thankfully the bleeding stopped but Aquajaw was worried about infection so she instructed Smallfry and Cadmus to find some calendula herbs that grew in the sanctuary. Once they returned they crushed the herbs and smeared it on a big leaf that would be used as a bandage. They then wrapped it around Hiccup's arm so that it was firm but not too tight. Aquajaw then placed Hiccup's head into a shallow opening. Moorin started to pour some of the water from their nest over Hiccup's forehead as a way to cool him and wipe away the sweat on his face. Bluetail did the same and soon Hiccup's breathing became soft. He no longer looked like he was in pain and the dragons let out a sigh of relief.

Hiccup could feel his wound stop throbbing and burning as well as something cool running along his forehead. It was like being in a haven, he wanted to open his eyes to see what was going on but he found himself exhausted from the previous pain. He relaxed his body and let slumber take him since he would be here when he woke up and he could see his family and friends again. That alone was good medicine to him.

The dragons turned to the rest of their community and gave the good news of Hiccup's treatment. He was just sleeping now.

 **"That's my boy!"** Cloudjumper cheered.

 **"He's going to be okay!"** Toothless added.

The father and son hugged each other while the other dragons danced and flew up in the air. The King could hear all of the commotion and that's when he knew that Hiccup would be alright.

 **"Well done young hero,"** he said. **"Well done indeed."**

That night Cloudjumper and Toothless slept in the Scauldrons' nest alongside Hiccup, who was still asleep. The Stormcutter was happy to be next to his sons again and while he was sad that one was injured at least he was alive. They came back from their first quest and did what they set out to do. If he was any prouder of them he would explode at the moment. But for now he closed his eyes and gently nuzzled both of his sons as they slept. All was quiet in the sanctuary and everyone was safe from the outside world.

Hiccup was the first in his family to wake up; he had to blink his eyes several times to get a good sight at where he was.

 **"The Scauldrons nest,"** he concluded.

He began to sit up and wanted to stretch before he was stopped by a familiar pair of wings. It was Aquajaw and she had a happy look on her face as she stared at him.

 **"Good morning Aquajaw."**

 **"Good morning Hiccup, don't stretch your arm yet it needs to rest and heal as much as it can before you do anything like that."**

 **"Sorry Aquajaw for all the trouble,"** Hiccup said as e rubbed his head with his other arm. **"I didn't mean to you all through so much."**

 **"Hey you're a member of our family Hiccup and family does whatever they can for each other,"** Aquajaw reassured as she gently nudged him. **"Speaking of families… you should wake yours up."**

 **"Right,"** Hiccup replied. **"Hey Dad, Toothless wake up."**

Hiccup shook them using his good arm and immediately the dragons woke up to the sight of the young boy. Cloudjumper wasted no time in wrapping him in a hug and Toothless licked his face nonstop.

 **"Don't you ever do that to me again Hiccup!"** Toothless cried.

 **"I'm sorry bud… it won't happen again I promise,"** Hiccup reassured.

 **"You had us all worried son,"** Cloudjumper stated.

 **"Yeah… sorry about that."**

 **"You're okay that's all that matters though."**

Cloudjumper nuzzled his son and Hiccup nuzzled back.

 **"How are the other dragons?"** Hiccup asked.

 **"They're fine… they got situated in their new nests yesterday. Their wounds were only superficial although the Deadly Nadder will have to stay and rest for a while before she can fly again. But it was nothing Aquajaw and her Scauldrons couldn't handle**

 **"And don't you forget it,"** Aquajaw stated with pride.

 **"And Hiccup would you care to tell me how you got such an injury or how the other dragons got hurt as well?"** Cloudjumper questioned.

Toothless then curled around his brother and they prepared to tell their father everything that happened on their quest of Berk. Hiccup carefully moved in injured arm into a comfortable position in order to prevent stiffness.

 **"Well we went to the island Berk,"** Hiccup said.

 **"The one you took us too when Hiccup found out about his origins,"** Toothless added.

 **"Go on,"** Cloudjumper replied.

 **"At first we had no luck finding any dragons… that's when we saw Stormfly,"** Hiccup continued.

 **"Aw yes the Deadly Nadder,"** Cloudjumper commented.

 **"We saw that she was injured that's when the Vikings came out of their places, they were following her apparently,"** Toothless explained. **"They took her back to the village and that's when we decided to follow them. We were led to a ring where they were keeping her… only to find out that there were more dragons there as well."**

 **"Of course they would be in such a location,"** Cloudjumper replied. **"I would assume that Hiccup used his pass experience in the outside world to unlock the ring."**

 **"Was there any doubt?"** Toothless jokingly said.

Hiccup blushed a little at their comments about him, indeed he had learned about human culture from going into the outside world with his father and brother on previous trips. Whenever they spotted human Hiccup would analyze how they went about with their lives. He saw how they would hunt, eat, dress, lock up their livestock, farm and other things like that. Sometimes he would try and mimic those actions as well. He knew it would come in handy one day and that say was when they were helping dragons escape.

 **"Anyway we were being as careful as we could be but somehow the Vikings knew we were there,"** Hiccup said.

 **"Yeah we don't know how they found out but that's when the weapons started flying,"** Toothless added.

 **"And that's when you got hit in the arm and the others got hurt as well,"** Cloudjumper said.

 **"Yeah but thankfully we didn't leave any dragon behind and we got them back to the sanctuary,"** Hiccup stated. **"That's all that matters to me."**

 **"I know but I still wish that you didn't get hurt by doing so,"** Cloudjumper responded.

 **"Dad we knew the risks when we decided to take on this quest,"** Hiccup said. **"This injury doesn't effect that I still want to keep going on these quests… that is if Toothless still wants to."**

 **"You're not going anywhere without me… haven't you learned that by now?"** Toothless questioned.

The boys huddled together and Hiccup began to scratch Toothless in his favorite place. The Night Fury started to bounce his leg and wiggle his tail back and forth as a result. The Stormcutter and Scauldron started to chuckle a little at the scene before them. Several minutes into it Toothless remembered something funny and a sly smirk appeared on his face.

 **"Not mention Hiccup got himself a girlfriend,"** Toothless said while nudging him.

 **"She's not my girlfriend!"** Hiccup exclaimed.

 **"Girlfriend!"** Cloudjumper panicked.

 **"Aw look at Hiccup he's growing up,"** Aquajaw cooed.

 **"She's not my girlfriend!"** Hiccup repeated.

 **"Darn right she's not!"** Cloudjumper stated. **"You're too young to start anything like that! That goes for you too Toothless!"**

 **"Hey Hiccup started it!"** Toothless replied.

 **"Did not!"** Hiccup argued.

 **"Did too!"**

 **"Did not!"**

 **"Did too!"**

 **"Did not!"**

A worried look appeared on Cloudjumper's face, he began to fidget a little as the boys were arguing.

 _ **It can't be. It's too soon for him to start liking anyone… when did this start? He's just a child!**_

After a while of worrying and arguing the family calmed down enough to have a civil conversation with each other. They talked about the next quests Hiccup and Toothless would be on as soon as his arm healed. They discussed ways of being more careful if it came to coming in contact with a Viking. That was Toothless's doing since he brought up Astrid's second encounter with Hiccup. He couldn't help but giggle at that part of the conversation. The dragons from Berk came later to thank the two boys for saving them and for bringing them to the safe haven. Even the King stopped by to see how they were doing. Everything was calm for now.

That is until two weeks passed and Hiccup and Toothless were back in the outside world looking for more dragons. Their quests became more hectic and more challenging but every time they returned to their home they brought back new dragons. Some were alone, some were families and some were rescued. Either way they made it back! They were getting better and better at what they did. The boys were growing up and the world around them seemed to grow as they did.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 16**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Twelve years of being alive certainly taught the two brothers a lot about the world; it seemed like only yesterday that they started bringing dragons back to the sanctuary when in fact it had been two years. Two years of rescuing, two years of experience and two years of exploration. They felt like they had seen it all at this point… at least more than any Viking could have.

Right now Hiccup flew on Toothless to a small area where they regularly visited in order to relax and take in the fresh air. They decided to take a break from all the dragon and Viking business with the approval of their father and the King. As they approached the area Hiccup gazed in awe at his surroundings. How calm and quiet everything was made him feel like he was free! He was free!

 **"There is it Hiccup!"** Toothless said.

 **"I see it Toothless! Get ready for landing!"** Hiccup replied.

 **"On it!"**

The twelve year old Night Fury started to lower his wings and changed his course of direction. Once they were close enough he stopped flying and they landed carefully on the ground. Hiccup jumped off his brother's back and got a good look at scanned the forest area they were in. Everything looked good enough for them to relax. They always had to make sure there was no one or nothing there before they could decide whether or not is was safe to stay. That's why they liked this area so much… they had yet to see anything like that.

 **"Race you to the spring!"** Hiccup exclaimed.

 **"Oh you're on Hiccup!"** Toothless replied.

The Night Fury would always easily beat his brother but Hiccup would always get his revenge by teasing him with food he would find. Today was no different; Toothless won the race and jumped into the spring. Hiccup followed suit and made a reminder to find some food later to tease Toothless with. They enjoyed the moment of relaxation as they floated in the water.

 **"This is the life,"** Hiccup stated.

 **"You said it,"** Toothless replied.

 **"After rescuing that family of Mudrakers Dad said that we could use a break,"** Hiccup explained.

 **"A week later and I'm still finding algae in my teeth."**

 **"Hey he got stuck in a trap; you can't really blame him for that."**

 **"If I ever find the Viking who set up that trap I'm making him eat algae! Then he'll see how it feels."**

 **"Hey the Mudraker's wife and children thanked you for your heroic deed."**

 **"That is not the point,"** Toothless huffed.

Hiccup laughed at his brother's immature answer, he called the trouble he had trying to get that trap to open. The fact that it was covered in algae made it even more difficult but somehow his brother managed to do it. He knew he could. The Mudraker Toothless rescued was named Swampface, his wife was Terra and their children were Mudclaw and Dirtcover. They thanked the two boys and followed them back to the sanctuary where they were quickly welcomed by the other Mudrakers that lived there.

 **"They're such a nice family too. Now they have a safe place to raise their children and no worry about anymore traps like that,"** Hiccup said.

 **"Yeah that's good I will admit,"** Toothless agreed.

After a few more minutes Hiccup started to scrub Toothless's back with the water since he knew how much the Night Fury enjoyed it. Toothless let out a purr as the cool water ran along his back. They then stepped out of the spring in order to dry a little. They shook the remaining water off their bodies and laid on the warm grass. Both let out a sigh of relief.

Little did they know that danger was just around the corner. A man with a widely known reputation had descended upon the area in search for more dragons to do his bidding. His dragon skin cape was enough to prove that. He along with his men had been patrolling the place for quite some time but they were never successful however he had a feeling today would be different. He could feel something was off… there was something more in this area today.

"Sir with all due respect why do we continue to come here? It's obvious that there's no dragons-"

"Silence Eret! I don't need to hear this again!"

"I-I apologize sir b-but still-" Eret stuttered.

"There is something different about today… I feel like we're going to see something we haven't before."

The young man named Eret decided to keep his mouth shut after hearing that. He knew that there was no point in arguing if the decision made already been made. However, the crew and himself had long exhausted themselves with trying to find dragons. They simply didn't have the stamina or the motivation as their leader did. Not to mention that most of them feared trying to reason with him. Eret was one of those men unfortunately. There were several men following behind them while the others went into different directions.

"Wait," the leader stated.

The men stopped where they were and saw that their leader paused. He closed his eyes and took in the noises coming from the side.

"Do you her that?" he asked.

"Hear what sir?" Eret questioned.

"Those noises belong to a dragon."

"A dragon?"

"Yes follow me but keep quiet unless you want to feel my wrath," the leader stated as he walked toward the direction of the noises.

The men followed with no more questions, they stayed as quiet as possible throughout the walk.

Meanwhile, Hiccup and Toothless were wrestling with each other. Toothless allowed Hiccup to gain the upper hand several times before regaining control. They laughed and playfully argued with each other while doing so.

 **"You cheat Toothless!"** Hiccup exclaimed. **"It's not fair that you let me win just to take it away from me!"**

 **"You should be thankful to have a brother like me who does stuff like that!"**

 **"I am so not letting you have any food that I find here!"**

 **"Whatever!"**

Suddenly Toothless picked up something with his hearing; he stopped wrestling with Hiccup and started to look around. Hiccup saw the change in Toothless's attitude and became quiet. He stood up from here he laid and looked around with Toothless.

 **"What's wrong bud?"** he whispered.

 **"I thought I heard something,"** Toothless quietly answered. **"Something's here… or someone."**

The man and his group made to an opening in the brush but they immediately got down once the leader did. The leader stood up a little to catch a glimpse of what was out there, what he saw shocked him. Standing there was a small boy wearing nothing but a brown loincloth with a Night Fury! A Night Fury!

"I don't believe it," he whispered. "An actual Night Fury."

"Sir there's a boy with it, how is that possible?" Eret quietly questioned. "Why isn't he running?"

"That intrigues me as well Eret… the boy shows no fear of it."

They saw the boy place his head on the dragon's back before scanning the area; they knew that they were there! That's when the noises he heard started to appear again. They were coming from the boy's mouth! The boy then placed his hands on the Night Fury's face along with his forehead. Their faces were touching each other in understanding. More of the noises appeared and again from then boy's mouth. The dragon followed suit.

"The boy… he speaks the words of dragons," the leader stated.

"Sir what was that?" Eret asked. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me Eret; the boy speaks with a dragon's tongue. The dragon understands what he is saying."

"A human speaking in a dragon's language… that's never been heard of."

"Indeed, he could be of use to us."

The man chuckle a little under his breath and he made a motion with his hands for the men to circle the area while hiding. The men nodded their heads and went to the directions they were supposed to. Eret gave his leader a confused look as they did so.

"Sir what are you planning to do?"

"To collect two things Eret," he replied. "We take the dragon… and the boy."

Hiccup had his hands on his brother's face; he was trying to keep Toothless calm about the situation they were in.

 **"Toothless… we need to get out of here,"** Hiccup said. **"We have to."**

 **"Without a doubt,"** Toothless whispered back while looking around still. **"Get on my back… now!"**

Just when Hiccup was about to board his brother's back that's when the men rushed out of their hiding places and threw their nets and rope on the duo. Toothless's wings became tangled in the mess while Hiccup's entire body was encased with ropes. They struggled to free themselves but nothing worked. The freedom Hiccup felt earlier was suddenly gone!

"You and your dragon are now captives of Drago Bludvist!"

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 17**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 **"Drago Bludvist?"** Hiccup and Toothless questioned in unison.

Suddenly they saw a tail man with a large built with thick black hair and beard that were in dreadlocks. His eyes were a piercing green color and he had multiple scars all over his face and body. He wore a sleeveless shirt with a thick waist belt that had a loincloth attached to it along with blue trousers and boots covered with fur. One of his arms was a prosthetic which made him look even more intimidating. But the part of him that made the boys shudder with fear was the cape he wore. It was made of dragon skin! One of the men pulled Hiccup up but kept a firm grip on him while several men wrapped the nets tightly around Toothless.

That very man started to walk towards them, Hiccup could only watch helplessly as Toothless was taken away in another direction. Hiccup began to struggle again in his rope confinement.

 **"Toothless! No!"**

 **"Hiccup!"** Toothless cried.

The men led away the young Night Fury and now it was just Hiccup… alone… his brother gone. Someone grabbed onto his chin and forced him to look up. He came face to face with the very man he owed his current situation to. He glared at the man named Drago Bludvist.

"You are a human child," Drago started. "And yet you speak using a dragon's tongue."

Hiccup's eyes widen at the statement, he knew about his gift. He had been spying on them! He clutched his teeth and tried to move his face away from the man's hand. But he was not successful.

"That is truly an interesting ability you have… did you acquire it or were you born with it?"

 **"Let go of me! Give me back my brother!"** Hiccup yelled as he struggled some more.

"Sir he's doing it again," Eret stated.

"Indeed, I wonder if he can understand what we are saying then," Drago commented. "Can you?"

Hiccup choose not to answer, he didn't need to say anything else about the matter. It was bad enough that they discovered his precious secret and took Toothless away from him.

"Not talking eh?" Drago asked. "Maybe I should go ask your dragon friend then… maybe he will have an easier time convincing you to answer my question. Once I help him become more obedient."

Hiccup didn't like the way he said obedient, Drago released his hold on him and began to walk where they had taken Toothless. He felt his blood run cold… he couldn't let anything bad happened to his beloved brother. He couldn't!

 **"No!"** Hiccup screamed. "No! Stay away from him!"

Drago stopped walking and the men let out a series of gasps, Drago returned back to him. He grabbed his chin once more.

"So you can talk and understand a human's language as well. What an interesting boy you are."

"Stay away from the Night Fury! He didn't do anything wrong to you or anyone else."

"Oh but that's where you're wrong child… you see that Night Fury did do something wrong," Drago replied. "He was born a dragon!"

"You're just like the other humans, you're afraid of dragons!" Hiccup yelled.

"Afraid of dragons?" Drago questioned.

He felt something hard hit his face and he landed on the ground. Thanks to his arms being bounded by ropes he couldn't sit up properly. He knew what happened though, Drago hit him.

"On the contrary it is them who should be afraid of me!" Drago said as he picked Hiccup up. "You are lucky that you have such an ability or else I would just gotten rid of you already. But you will be of some use to me."

"W-What? What are you t-talking about?" Hiccup stuttered.

"You will help me take control over the dragons… by doing so I will have no problem taking over this miserable world!"

"N-never… I'll never do it!" Hiccup exclaimed.

"Then you can say goodbye to your dragon friend," Drago said with an evil smirk. "I'm sure he'll make a wonderful addition to my collection of trophies from the previous dragons I've encountered."

Hiccup's fear was getting the best of him, he knew Drago wasn't bluffing. The cape he wore proved that… this man wasn't like the ones he's encountered in the past. This man is a bloodthirsty monster! He had to protect Toothless but it would mean using his gift for the wrong reasons. No matter what he chose to do he would lose. On one hand he would save Toothless but he would become this monster's pawn as a result or he could refuse and Toothless would be killed.

"So do we have an understanding?" Drago asked.

Hiccup slowly nodded his head in defeat, he had never felt so useless before in his entire life! Two of Drago's men held Hiccup in place.

"Excellent, I'm glad we see eye and eye," Drago said with an evil smirk. "Load the boy onto the ship with the dragon and prepare to leave as soon as that is done!"

"Yes sir!" the men exclaimed in unison.

Just when Drago was about to walk away that's when he saw the prize around Hiccup's neck. He reached out and ripped the necklace off his neck much to Hiccup's shock. Hiccup began to struggle in the grasp of his captors.

"No! Give that back to me! That's mine!" Hiccup yelled.

"Silence boy!" Drago replied. "This belongs to me now… I can't have you escaping because of this. Besides it looks like you've had several encounters with dragons yourself. I look forward to getting to know more about you boy."

With that Drago walked off with Hiccup's dragon tooth necklace, he wanted to yell so badly but he knew that he would just get slapped in the face again. Suddenly Hiccup was thrown over one of the men's shoulders and he was carried away from the very spot Toothless and him were just at. Just a few moments ago they were relaxing and enjoying the time they had together… but now all of that was gone. They were captives now with no other family or friends in sight to see what was happening to them.

The image of the island's scenery started to disappear as Hiccup was taken to the ship of Drago Bludvist. The rope hurt his wrists and his arms as it rubbed against them. It wasn't long before the men walked onto the deck of the ship. The island looked so small now to Hiccup, his eyes filled with tears as he contemplated the horrors that awaited his brother and him. He was taken to the lower deck and he could see that there were several empty cells. Hiccup shuddered as that meant that Toothless and him weren't the first prisoners Drago had taken… but the fact that they were the only current ones didn't ease his fear either. The man unlocked one of the cell's doors and placed Hiccup inside; he removed the ropes only for shackles to be clamped onto Hiccup's wrists and ankles. He struggled to stand up as the weight of the metal was too heavy for him to handle. The cell's door was locked once again, only this time it held someone with its clutches.

"Enjoy your new home boy, you're going to here for quite a while," the man said as he laughed "Don't even think of trying to talk to your dragon friend, he's in another room enjoying the accommodations we set him up in."

The man left the room, Hiccup found himself alone in a room with nothing but cells and a small circle window above his head. The sunlight was shining through the window and hit the hard wooden floor. Just then the boat started to move and it entered into the vast with two new passengers on board.

Hiccup sat down and allowed the tears to escape his green eyes. He cried for his brother and he cried for the family and friends he feared that he would never see again. He could only imagine the devastation he father would go through once he found out that his sons were gone. It would have been like that day two years ago. The day when he got shot by an arrow, he still had a small scar from where the arrow head had penetrated through his skin and muscle. He rubbed the scarred arm as he was reminded of that incident. He remembered the worry and fear that was in his father's voice as he called out to him. He also remembered the joy his father felt as he awoke from his slumber. Oh how Hiccup would have done anything at the moment to be in the safety of his father's embrace along with Toothless. He would have done anything to be at the sanctuary right now.

 **"Oh Toothless…"** Hiccup whispered.

Hiccup felt the waves hit the boat as it traveled farther into the sea and in the opposite direction of the Dragon Sanctuary. The twelve year old laid down on the floor and allowed for sleep to take him. He hoped that his was just a nightmare and that he was back at home with the others. However, he knew that was just a false hope.

Meanwhile, Cloudjumper and Clawdia were outside the sanctuary and were flying over the ocean water. The father of two decided he wanted to surprise his sons with a special dinner when they got home from their break. He was trying to pick out the best fish for them, Toothless favored Icelandic cod while Hiccup favored salmon. Clawdia decided to accompany him in this short journey, so far they had collected three Icelandic cod and two salmons.

 **"Just a few more and we can head back Clawdia,"** Cloudjumper said.

 **"Okay,"** Clawdia replied. **"Only the best for your boys right old friend?"**

 **"Nothing but the best Clawdia."**

The friends shared a laugh before spending another hour and a half finding fish. They were successful with their hunting since they collected a total of eleven Icelandic cods and ten salmons. Cloudjumper knew his boys were in for a treat. Just when they were about to fly back that's when Cloudjumper felt it. He stopped flying with Clawdia staring at him with a look of confusion on her face.

 **"Cloudjumper what's wrong?"**

The Stormcutter turned to her with a panicked expression.

 **"I… I felt something… something bad…"** Cloudjumper stated. **"Hiccup and Toothless… they're in trouble."**

 **"What?"** Clawdia questioned. **"What do you mean Cloudjumper? Hiccup and Toothless are at the place they always visit whenever they take a break from dragon rescuing. They always come back safe why should this time be any different?"**

 **"I don't know… but I felt like something bad happened to them just now,"** Cloudjumper said. **"I don't know how to describe it but… I just know that they're in trouble."**

Clawdia didn't know what to think of her friend at the moment. It wouldn't have come to a surprise to her if Cloudjumper could experience such emotions. He was a protective father and after all these years Hiccup had formed a close bond with him and his brother. His years of studying dragons only intensified that bond. Maybe Cloudjumper was right if that was the case.

 **"If what you say is true then that means we need to go that island to see if they're still there,"** Clawdia stated.

 **"Let's hope that they're still there,"** Cloudjumper replied.

The dragons made their way back to the sanctuary in order to place the fish they had caught in the Stormcutter's nest. The stored them to the point where they could still be fresh even after a long period of time. They headed out quickly; they didn't even have time to tell the others where they were going.

 _ **Don't worry boys your father is coming for you!**_

The dragons were in a race against time to find the boys and once the island was in sight they landed. Cloudjumper immediately began calling out to the boys and heard no reply. He started to panic once he saw the foot prints in the dirt; they didn't belong to a dragon but to a human. Or rather humans… and they certainly weren't Hiccup's. Cloudjumper traced them back to an open area and he sniffed the ground. He caught their scents but it was mixed with the scents of others.

 **"They were here,"** Cloudjumper said. **"They were here relaxing… when suddenly they were ambushed… by a group of humans!"**

 **"Humans? What are humans doing here. The boys said that there was no sign of human civilization here."**

 **"They probably don't live here but they decided to come here for some reason… and when they did they probably caught sight of the boys."**

 **"I can understand why they would want Toothless but why Hiccup too?"**

Cloudjumper paced around in thought, he wondered that as well. To humans Hiccup wouldn't have been a threat… not unless…

 **"I wonder if they know about Hiccup's gift,"** Cloudjumper said.

 **"What? No… that can't be true… that can't be…"**

 **"Hiccup would be a valuable asset to Vikings if they knew about his ability to talk and understand dragons."**

 **"That is true… he's just a boy though!"** Clawdia exclaimed. **"Cloudjumper we have to find them before they get hurt."**

 **"You took the words right out of my mouth Clawdia,"** Cloudjumper said. **"The only problem is that we can't trace the scent back to the owners since they've already left the island and there's nothing but ocean for miles."**

 **"Oh no…"**

Clawdia stared down at the ground in defeat; Cloudjumper couldn't help but share her sorrow. The thought of losing his sons hurt him. Destiny brought them together and now he was afraid that some Vikings could ruin that. His tears fell onto the ground and that's when the dragons heard something. A familiar call.

 **"That sound… it can't be…"** Clawdia said.

 **"But it is,"** Cloudjumper added. **"Hurry Clawdia we might be able to catch them!"**

 **"Right!"**

The dragons raced to the edge of the island to where the call was emitting from.

 _ **Please don't leave, don't leave!**_

They removed some of the brush to see exactly what they were hoping to find. Scauldrons! They were splashing water back and forth to each other and were laughing. Cloudjumper and Clawdia took off into the air and flew over to them. The Scauldrons noticed the pair of dragons coming their way and stopped playing in the water.

 **"Hello fellow dragons,"** Cloudjumper greeted. **"My name is Cloudjumper and this is my friend Clawdia."**

At first the Scauldrons didn't respond, Cloudjumper and Clawdia feared that maybe they were angry at them for interrupting their activities. However, that fear quickly melted away the Scauldrons smiled at them.

 **"Well it's nice to meet the both of you; we don't see too many dragons around here. My name is Seaspring and this is my brother Rockbottom."**

 **"We're sorry to interrupt your fun but have you seen a human boy and Night Fury come around here or anyone else for that matter?"** Clawdia asked.

 **"No, we haven't seen any Night Fury but if you're looking for humans they stop by here every once in a while,"** Rockbottom said.

 **"Was a boy amongst them?"** Cloudjumper questioned.

 **"No they were all grown men, they've been hoping to find some dragons on that island but they always leave empty handed,"** Seaspring said. **"But judging by the way you're talking it looks like they finally caught something."**

 **"We've only been here for a couple of days and every time they come around we swim to the deeper part of the ocean until they leave,"** Rockbottom added. **"Maybe that's why we haven't seen that Night Fury or a human child you're looking for."**

 **"That has to be the reason since Hiccup and Toothless said that they never saw any other dragon or human on that island and they've been traveling here for a while now. The fact that you swim to the deeper part of the sea also explains the reason why they haven't run into you yet,"** Cloudjumper said.

 **"What is your relation to those two anyway?"** Seaspring asked.

 **"They're my sons."**

 **"Your sons? A human child and a Night Fury?"** Rockbottom gasped.

 **"Yes they're adopted but I love them just as if they were biologically my own, I fear that they've been captured by the very humans you talk about."**

 **"Oh that's sad to hear,"** Rockbottom said. **"We lost our parents several years ago and it's just been us for a while. Me and my sister against the world."**

 **"We would do anything for each other,"** Seaspring agreed. **"Wait a minute! What if we help you find them?"**

 **"You… would help us?"** Clawdia questioned.

 **"Sure after all family has to stick together and you're not going to find them by sniffing their scent on the water… but we can hear their ship from underwater,"** Seaspring stated.

 **"That would really help if you did that!"** Cloudjumper exclaimed.

 **"Then it's settled, Rockbottom let's begin this rescue mission and show those creeps what dragons are made of!"** Seaspring cheered.

 **"We can't thank you enough for your kindness,"** Clawdia stated.

 **"Yes, when this is over we'll be sure to repay you by showing you a safe place for dragons to live in,"** Cloudjumper said.

 **"Sounds like a plan to me,"** Rockbottom replied.

The Scauldrons jumped into the water and begin to swim towards the direction of the ship with Cloudjumper and Clawdia following close behind. All the dragons were determined to save the boys.

 _ **We're coming my sons; just hold on for a little bit longer.**_

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 18**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

thinking- human thoughts

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

The sun disappeared into the darkness of the sky and the stars were sprinkled all across it. Hiccup felt more waves hit the ship as it continued to travel to a destination unknown to him. He hadn't seen Toothless all day and the shackles were still attached to him. He tried to sleep for as long as he could but he just couldn't do it at a place that was foreign to him… it wasn't home. He stayed huddled in a corner and hoped that maybe he could hear Toothless just to know that he was okay. But he could hear nothing… the silence was scaring him at this point. He feared that maybe Drago went back on his deal and decided to kill the Night Fury.

Suddenly the door flew open and in came in a large Viking with a small plate in his hand, he walked over to the cell and unlocked the door just to place the plate inside before locking it again. Hiccup inspected what was on the plate; it was a slab of boar meat.

"Eat! We can't have you dying on us now," he said as he let out a dark chuckle. "Although I can certainly say that when this is over you'll be wishing for death."

With that the man left and closed the door behind him leaving Hiccup with the plate and silence once again. Hiccup pushed the plate away from him; he didn't have the energy or motivation to eat at the moment. It was like he had lost the will to live… without Toothless and without his family he was nothing. Hiccup looked up at the window high above him; the moonlight was now shining through it instead of sunlight. Oh how he would have given anything to be out there again with the wind blowing past him as he rode on Toothless's back. He now knew how the dragons he rescued felt when they had been kept in cages and bound with restraints. He let out a sigh and sat by back on the wooden floor.

Meanwhile, Toothless was locked in another room and in a cell of his own. His legs were chained and rope was wrapped around his wings. A metallic muzzle covered his mouth as a way to prevent him from opening his mouth wide enough to fire a blast. He struggled once again against the restraints but had no luck. He whimpered a little as he worried about his brother. He knew Hiccup was probably being held in similar restraints although maybe not as serious as he was. That didn't make him feel better though.

 _ **Oh Hiccup please be okay. Dad please find us… please save us… Aunt Clawdia… anybody!**_

Little did they know that the dragons were right on their trail, Seaspring and Rockbottom were leading Cloudjumper and Clawdia. They dragons flew lower as the other two dragons kept to the water and traveled as fast as they could.

 **"So you're human son can understand dragonese?"** Rockbottom asked.

 **"Yes, he's had that gift ever since he was a baby,"** Cloudjumper replied. **"The fact that he has studied every dragon known to the world makes him a very valuable asset to Vikings and dragons."**

 **"I can imagine, that explains why those humans captured him,"** Seaspring commented. **"We're getting closer though I can feel it."**

 **"Cloudjumper the boys are probably kept locked up somewhere on that ship,"** Clawdia said.

 **"I know and when we find it we have to be quick about it, we have to find them as soon as we can. No matter what happens no harm must come to Hiccup and Toothless."**

 **"You don't have to tell me twice,"** Clawdia replied.

The dragons kept traveling on the trail, hoping that they would be led to their target soon. It had gotten so late already; the father of two couldn't stand to be away from his sons for so long. Not to mention the fact that the dragons were already growing exhausted.

Then the ship appeared right before their eyes, Cloudjumper leapt with joy at the sight of it. The ship sailed past several rocks that were poking out of the water unaware of the dragons following it.

 **"Okay listen closely to the plan everyone, Seaspring and Rockbottom you try to see where the boys are being kept on the ship. With you being water dragons it will be easier or you to stay hidden, while Clawdia and I will provide a distraction for the Vikings,"** Cloudjumper explained.

 **"Leave it to us,"** Seaspring said.

 **"We'll find your boys,"** Rockbottom added.

 **"Thank you, now when you see Hiccup and Toothless call out to them. They'll know immediately that you're Scauldrons and tell them that their father and Clawdia sent you both,"** Cloudjumper said. **"If you run into any trouble call out to us… I hope it doesn't come to that but knowing Vikings anything can happen."**

 **"Don't worry we will,"** Rockbottom replied.

With that the Scauldrons covered themselves with the ocean and traveled quietly; through the water. Cloudjumper and Clawdia flew higher in order to cut off the ship, once they were in front of the ship. The Stormcutter and Raincutter breathed fire on the sails of the ship; luckily some of Drago's men witnessed the action and started to come out of the quarters of the ship.

"Dragons!"

"They're here!"

"Call Drago and get the nets!"

"Put out the fire!"

The men scurried to get the sails off the ship while others prepared to throw the nets at the dragons. However, Cloudjumper and Clawdia started to fly in circles around the ship making it difficult for the men to get their targets.

Seaspring and Rockbottom heard the commotion and started their search for the boys. Rockbottom took one side while Seaspring took another; their heads were high enough to look through the windows of the lower deck. Seaspring finally saw Hiccup was sitting on the floor with shackles attached to him. She wasted no time calling out to Hiccup.

Hiccup heard the men start yelling all of a sudden, he raised an eyebrow in confusion. He couldn't make out what they were saying but it sounded urgent.

 **"Hey Hiccup,"** she said.

Hiccup perked up from the sound of his name being called, he recognized that cry from anywhere. After all he had studied every call of every dragon thanks to his home; the call belonged to a Scauldron. He turned around and stood up from his sitting position. What he saw brighten his day… it was a Scauldron!

 **"Who are you? How do you know my name?"** Hiccup asked.

 **"My name is Seaspring and your father and another dragon name Clawdia sent me here with my brother in order to find you two,"** Seaspring replied. **"My brother is with your brother right now."**

 **"Dad sent you?"** Hiccup questioned. **"Is he here? What about Aunt Clawdia? Is that what all the commotion is about?"**

 **"Yes on all questions Hiccup, now let's get you out of here. Move out of the way I'm going to break the glass."**

Hiccup nodded his head and moved to the side while covering his face; Seaspring broke through the glass using her tail and turned around to see Hiccup again.

 **"Those shackles are going to be hard to get off-"**

Seaspring didn't have time to finish her sentence as the sound of footsteps came toward the room, Hiccup's eyes widen.

 **"A Viking!"** Seaspring exclaimed.

 **"What do we do?"** Hiccup asked.

Seaspring saw the look of fear on Hiccup's face; she knew she couldn't let the human child down. She contemplated what to do; suddenly she came up with an idea.

 **"Hiccup when that Viking comes close enough shout my name, I'll give that human something to remember me by. In the meantime I'll be waiting in the water so shout as loud as you can. Do you understand?"**

 **"Yes I understand."**

Seaspring nodded her head and quickly hid in the ocean; she sucked in some of the water surrounding her and waited. Hiccup turned to see the Viking open the door to the room. The anger and rage on his face was indescribable.

"You!" the Viking said as he pointed to him. "You're the reason why the dragons are here! You called for them!"

Hiccup didn't have time to respond as the Viking ran toward the cell and unlocked the door. He knocked the plate of boar meat out of the way and grabbed the child by the wrist, he clutched it hard enough to cause a bruise. Hiccup winced at the pain he was feeling.

"You're going to pay for what you've done," he said.

"But you're going to pay more than I am," Hiccup responded. **"Seaspring now!"**

Seaspring heard her name and popped out of the water, she saw the Viking holding onto Hiccup. She could feel the water inside her stomach heating up until she sprayed it at the muscular human. The scalding water hit the Viking with full force, the man let out a loud cry of pain and let go of Hiccup. He fell to the floor with his hands covering his now red face. Hiccup rubbed the wrist he bruised. He knew that Spearing had just used the Scauldrons signature move, Aquajaw and the other Scauldron back at the sanctuary had shown him the technique back when he studied with them.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the keys; the Viking had dropped them when he was hit with the hot water. Hiccup quickly picked them up and unlocked the shackles that kept him prisoner; once he was free he placed two of the shackles around the man's ankles. He left the cell and locked it; he saw that Seaspring had been watching him the entire time.

 **"Well you certainly are a remarkable human Hiccup,"** Seaspring commented.

 **"Thank you Seaspring, I'm going to go find Toothless now so go help my Dad and Aunt Clawdia."**

 **"Are you sure Hiccup, you'll be alone before you reach Toothless."**

 **"Yes I'm sure, with all the men distracted I'm sure I can find my brother."**

 **"Okay then be careful and good luck,"** Seaspring said as she left to help the other dragons.

Hiccup ran out the room leaving the Viking still moaning in pain with blisters forming on his face. He saw some of the men running round the area and hid in a corner, they quickly left and he searched through some of the rooms he spotted.

Rockbottom found Toothless struggling against the restraint he was in; the Night Fury remained oblivious to the observer and to the noises coming from outside his holding area. He was too busy trying to break out, that is until his name was called out.

 **"Toothless!"** Rockbottom stated.

Toothless stopped fighting the restraints and turned around and saw the Scauldron. He started to jump to the best of his ability, he was so happy to see another dragon.

 **"You're a Scauldron!"** Toothless exclaimed. **"What's your name?"**

 **"The name's Rockbottom, your father and Clawdia wanted me and my sister to find you and Hiccup."**

 **"My Dad is here with Aunt Clawdia? I knew it! I knew they would come for us!"**

 **"Never fear Toothless your father and Clawdia are helping distract the Vikings right now as we speak. Didn't you hear the men screaming?"**

Toothless turned his head to the side; his puzzled expression said it all.

 **"No,"** Toothless said bluntly. **"I guess I was too preoccupied with getting these stupid restraints off of me."**

 **"Well that's understandable."**

 **"Did you say your sister was here too?"** Toothless questioned.

 **"Yes, she's with your brother at the moment."**

The Night Fury let out a sigh of relief, he was glad to hear that Hiccup was in good hands. That's when the door flew open, Toothless feared that it would have been one of Drago's men but to his shock and joy it was Hiccup. He was not in restraint either and he had a look of triumph on his face as he spun the keys around his finger.

 **"Anyone need rescuing?"** Hiccup asked playfully.

 **"About time you got out!"** Toothless responded.

 **"Yeah sorry about that but I was busy making friends with the nice guys on this ship."**

 **"You can make friends later; right now get me out of here!"**

Hiccup made his way to the cell and unlocked it then he started to free his brother from his confinement expect for the ropes as Toothless wasted no time ripping off the rough restraints after the muzzle was taken off. Once he was free the stretched his wings along with his body then he started to jump in the air.

 **"Oh it feels so good to be free!"** Toothless cheered.

The Night Fury then pounced on Hiccup and started to lick his face nonstop, Hiccup giggled while trying to block the sloppy show of affection. Rockbottom couldn't' help but let out a chuckle himself but then he remembered the situation they were in.

 **"I hate to break up the brotherly reunion but we have to get out of here right now,"** Rockbottom said.

 **"Oh that's right come on Hiccup,"** Toothless stated.

 **"Alright let's go,"** Hiccup replied. **"Rockbottom, we'll meet you outside the ship with our Dad, Clawdia and Seaspring."**

 **"I understand but be quick you two."**

Rockbottom left and the Hiccup jumped onto Toothless's back, the Night Fury ran out of the cell and the door. They men were still busy trying to fight off the dragons while waiting for Drago to make his appearance. Cloudjumper, Clawdia, Seaspring and now Rockbottom were doing their best to keep the men distracted until the boys made it out.

Drago was busy looking though maps, trying to find location where they had yet to scout for dragons. He let a frustrated grunt every now and then.

 _There's no need to worry though, now that I have that boy it will be easier to capture dragons. Speaking of which, I'll need to ask for his name later._

That until Eret barged into his quarters without permission, he was panting and he had a look of fear on his face.

"Sir… the men… there's dragons… they're attacking!" Eret stuttered.

"What? There are dragons?" Drago exclaimed. "How did they- the boy!"

"What sir?"

"The boy you fool! Don't you see, the boy must have brought them here… or the dragons know him."

"B-but sir how would the dragons know that boy?" Eret asked.

"The Night Fury knew the boy Eret, what makes you think that other dragons don't know him either?"

"Well… I suppose it's possible but anyway sir we need your help!"

"Go Eret and help them, I'll be there in a minute."

"Yes sir."

Eret ran back to the top deck while Drago collected his thoughts.

 _That boy has ties to many more dragons it seems; it's not just the Night Fury. I wonder… he didn't look like he belonged to any Viking village; he wasn't wearing traditional clothing for humans in general._

Drago pulled the necklace he had collected from Hiccup out of his pocket; he held it out to inspect it. He noticed how there were multiple dragon teeth on it but they didn't look like they belonged to an adult dragon. They were baby dragon teeth and the tooth in the middle belonged to a human.

"A human tooth with dragon teeth… baby teeth for that matter," Drago commented. "No sign of human civilization on him and a familiarity with dragons… it's almost as if the boy…"

Suddenly something hit Drago on the back of the head, his vision went blurry and he fell onto the floor. However, he wasn't entirely unconscious just stunned. He saw two small figures make his way toward him.

Hiccup saw the same man who had been talking to Drago when he and Toothless had been captured run out of a room. Thankfully he hadn't seen the two boys as he was too preoccupied with getting to the top deck. Just when they were about to pass that room Hiccup had saw a shield on the floor, he realized that it must have been dropped by one of the men as they rushed to the top of the ship. Something was telling him to pick it up so he did and just when they were about to leave he looked into the room and saw Drago holding his necklace. He knew that he couldn't leave this ship without it so he motioned for Toothless to follow his lead, the Night Fury gave him an annoyed look but went along with it. Drago was muttering something to himself and he didn't see the boys behind him. Hiccup stood on Toothless's back and Toothless stood on his hind legs a little once he realized what Hiccup was going to do. When he was about Drago's height Hiccup brought the shield down as hard as he could. He managed to hit Drago!

"You… you little… brat…" Drago muttered trying to regain his focus.

The necklace fell out of his hand and landed next to the boys, Hiccup quickly picked it up and got on Toothless's back once again. Just in time too as Drago was struggling to stand up.

"My name is not brat," Hiccup stated. **"It's Hiccup!"**

 **"That's right!"** Toothless added.

Hiccup knew the man couldn't understand what he had just said but after all he had put him and his brother through he didn't owe him his name. That's what made it all the better for Hiccup, the fact that he had given his name and yet he didn't at the same time. Then Toothless turned around and ran toward the route that Eret had taken, Hiccup held onto him as tight as he could. That's when the cries of Vikings got louder; they knew they were heading the right way.

 **"Be prepared to take off as soon as we get outside Toothless!"**

 **"Got it!"**

The exit was approaching them and Toothless started to expand his wings, he ran faster. Suddenly the darkness of the outside world hit them and Toothless jumped into the air as soon as he could feel the wind.

 **"My sons!"** Cloudjumper shouted.

 **"Hiccup! Toothless!"** Clawdia yelled.

 **"Dad! Aunt Clawdia!"** Hiccup and Toothless exclaimed in unison.

 **"No time for greetings you all!"** Seaspring stated. **"We have to get out of here!"**

 **"Right let's go everyone!"** Cloudjumper said.

Before they left Rockbottom and Seaspring sprayed the deck floor with scalding water, making the Vikings cry out in pain altogether. They stopped throwing the nets and were struggling to get below deck; they kept jumping in pain every time they stepped on the water. Hiccup and Toothless laughed at the scene as they took off. They followed Cloudjumper and Clawdia while Seaspring and Rockbottom jumped into the water. The dragons and human left the ship, they traveled back to their home and for the two Scauldrons their new home. As soon as they were far away Hiccup placed the necklace back around his neck… he felt complete again. He felt free.

Drago came stomping onto the deck; the scalding water didn't bother him at all especially when his anger had reached over his limit. His hand was rubbing the back of his head. The men stopped crying out in pain and turned toward him.

"You fools! You pathetic excuse for an army! You not only allowed the boy and Night Fury to escape but you're also managed to let several more dragons evade capture!" Drago shouted. "Angry doesn't even begin to describe what I'm feeling right now!"

"We're sorry sir!" the men replied in unison.

"Sorry isn't going to undo what has been done!" Drago yelled. "Get this water off the deck and clean up the mess that those dragons and boy caused. Now! Eret come with me!

"Y-yes sir," Eret replied.

The men started to get buckets from the lower deck and scooped the cooling liquid out even though they had suffered burns to their legs and feet. They knew that it was nothing compared to the pain Drago could inflict if they didn't do their job. Eret was busy talking to Drago in his quarters.

"Sir may I ask why you wish to speak with me?" Eret asked.

"Eret… do you remember how I said it was possible that the dragons knew the boy?"

"Yes sir I do."

"Well I think I've come up with a reason for why that is."

"Really sir?"

"Yes, judging by the way he looks the boy isn't from a Viking village nor does he look like he's from human civilization at all. Then there's the fact that he can communicate with dragons and he's very familiar with them. Can you guess what I'm thinking Eret?"

"No sir I'm afraid I don't follow."

"The boy was raised by dragons," Drago stated. "And even now he is being raised by them."

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 19**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

The boys were laying on the ground, they were panting like crazy. Several tears leaked out of their eyes as well but they weren't tears of sadness but rather happiness. Happy to be back at their home and happy to be back with their family… back at the Dragon Sanctuary and at their nest. At the same time they let the realization that there was a possibility that they would have never seen their home again hit them as well. Had it not been for their father, Clawdia and the two Scauldrons that had introduced themselves as Seaspring and Rockbottom they would still be on that ship with that madman named Drago Bludvist. Hiccup would have forced to help him find dragons using his gifts while threatening to hurt or kill Toothless. Toothless would have been trapped in confinement until Drago said so, who knows how long that would have been if that were the case.

Cloudjumper had never come so close to losing his sons before, he sat next to his two sons as they laid on the ground panting. Clawdia was next to him as well as the two Scauldrons, Seaspring and Rockbottom choose to stay next to the boys until they knew that they were okay. Aquajaw and Moorin were more than happy to accept the new Scauldrons into their nest.

The Stormcutter placed his wings around his sons and brought them into his loving embrace, he was trying reassure them that they were safe and nothing bad would ever happen to them. Toothless and Hiccup nuzzled closer into their father's embrace, they could hear the comforting sound of Cloudjumper's heartbeat.

 **"Dad…"** they whispered in unison.

 **"I'm right here boys, it's alright you're safe now,"** Cloudjumper calmly said.

 **"It was awful Dad…"** Hiccup said. " **They snuck up on us… and they took Toothless away from me…"**

 **"They took Hiccup away from me too Dad…"** Toothless added. " **They put a lot of restraints on me…"**

 **"I know, I know,"** Cloudjumper soothed. **"But it's over now; you're not on that ship anymore with those Vikings. My bond with you both is what led me to believe that you were in trouble and I was right."**

The brothers smiled at that, it was true their father had strong paternal instincts. The fact that they were safe in their father's embrace proved those instincts. Toothless licked Hiccup's face and nudged Hiccup's burise wrist from where the Viking had grabbed him. In return Hiccup petted Toothless on the head. Clawdia scooted closer to Cloudjumper and nuzzled the boys as well.

 **"Your father speaks the truth boys,"** Clawdia said.

 **"We know Aunt Clawdia… but that experience is something we'll never forget,"** Toothless replied.

 **"I know but we're just happy to see that you're okay,"** Clawdia stated.

The boys nodded their heads and they turned their attention to Rockbottom and Seaspring, gentle smiles decorated their faces.

 **"Thank you again Seaspring and Rockbottom,"** Hiccup stated.

 **"Thank you both for saving my brother and me,"** Toothless added.

 **"No problem boys,"** Rockbottom responded.

 **"Anything to help a fellow dragon, although I will admit hearing that a dragon had a human child was surprising,"** Seaspring said.

 **"I'm sure it was,"** Hiccup replied.

 **"However the fact that those Vikings thought that they could just take you two away is just sickening,"** Seaspring stated. **"My brother and I wish you all nothing but happiness for your family."**

 **"Thank you Seaspring and my brother and I know that you're going to like it here,"** Hiccup said. **"Aquajaw and Moorin are in charge of the Scauldron nest, they're also mates. They'll take good care of you both."**

 **"Yes we met them while you two were resting, they said that they'll prepare a nest for us while we waited with you,"** Rockbottom responded. **"They also said that there will be food for us when we go there."**

 **"Well you both can go now, we fine and you should get settled into your new home,"** Hiccup stated.

 **"Are you sure?"** Seaspring asked. **"We could stay a little longer."**

 **"Don't worry we're fine now… being home is the best medicine we can have at the moment,"** Toothless explained. **"Go see how your new nest looks like and thank you again."**

 **"Like my brother said, thank you,"** Hiccup added.

 **"Anytime young ones,"** Rockbottom and Seaspring replied in unison.

The dragon brother and sister said their goodbyes before heading to the Scauldrons nest. As soon as they left Hiccup and Toothless felt their stomachs rumble, Cloudjumper and Clawdia chuckled a little before pulling out the fish that they had caught earlier for them. Toothless and Hiccup stared at the bundle of food with mouths wide open. Cloudjumper roasted Hiccup's salmon in order for him to eat it.

 **"Go on boys dig in,"** Cloudjumper said.

They wasted no time eating their favorite type of fish while Cloudjumper and Clawdia pulled some aside for them as well. The dragons and human ate their food in peace while enjoying each other's company. When Hiccup was on his third fish he remembered something… something important regarding Drago.

 **"Hey Dad."**

 **"Yes Hiccup?"**

 **"That man… the one who captured us… his name was Drago Bludvist and… and…"**

 **"And what son?"**

 **"He knows about my gift."**

Toothless almost choked on his Icelandic cod while the two adult dragons stopped eating. Cloudjumper had his assumptions on why Hiccup was captured, he knew why Toothless was, but Hiccup was a different case. He was a human… a human with an unusual gift of speaking and understand dragonese.

 **"I had a feeling that's why they took you,"** Cloudjumper said. **"Your gift makes you a valuable asset to Vikings Hiccup. There are many people out there who would do anything to possess such an ability and use it for their own selfish needs. This Drago Bludvist is one of those humans… and I fear that you both haven't seen the last of him."**

 **"That might be true because he's hunting for dragons Dad, he wants to take over the world using them,"** Hiccup explained.

Clawdia let out a gasp as did Toothless, Cloudjumper only stared at his son as he said his statement.

 _ **What a madman, such insanity! He thinks he can control dragons in order for them to do his bidding.**_

 **"Why that lunatic!"** Toothless exclaimed. **"How dare he use dragons like that… but you can tell that he's had some encounters with them before judging by that dragon skin cape and those multiple scars."**

 **"If that's the case, we need to work harder in finding more dragons Toothless,"** Hiccup said as he turned to his brother. **"Now that we now that I madman like that exists we have to be more frequent in our searches."**

 **"Right,"** Toothless agreed. **"As long as we work together I'm sure we can do it."**

 **"Boys,"** Clawdia addressed. **"You still want to continue with your searches? Even after all that has happened?"**

 **"We have to now Clawdia… we did it before to safe dragons from Vikings and now that we know that a man like Drago is hunting them we have to keep going. If Drago gets ahold of a lot of dragons he'll used them to hurt others and not just dragons but humans too! We can't let that happen!"**

 **"Hiccup's right! Our goal was to bring humans and dragons together not divide them, that's what Drago wants. He wants to dominate every being in this world… both dragon and human,"** Toothless argued. **"We can't let that happen to either of those kinds."**

Clawdia was shocked at the reasoning behind Toothless and Hiccup's decision to continue their searches for dragons. They were so young and yet it felt like they had more knowledge than any regular dragon and human. They were determined to fight against Drago by saving one dragon at a time or a group of dragons at a time. Cloudjumper would always be proud of his sons and he wanted what was best for them. If this is what they wanted then he would not argue no matter how much he wanted to. He would always support his sons no matter what their decision was… he had learned to accept that a long time ago.

 **"If you boys want to keep going on your searches then so be it,"** Cloudjumper stated.

 **"Really?"** Hiccup questioned.

 **"You mean it Dad?"** Toothless asked.

 **"Of course, I want you both to be happy. I've noticed that saving dragons and going into the outside world makes you happy. I know it hasn't been an easy path especially when either of you get hurt but we always said that you two would unite the humans and dragons one day. That day may come sooner than we think as long as you continue to rescue dragons,"** Cloudjumper explained. **"You have my love and support boys… and I will always be proud of you o matter what. Remember that."**

 **"We will!"** the boys answered in unison.

They walked up to their father and hugged him as tightly as they could, Clawdia got closer too Cloudjumper and wrapped her wings around the boys and Stormcutter.

 **"However, we'll have to tell this to the King. He'll want to know about this man so will the other dragons when they venture out into the world,"** Clawdia said.

 **"That's right, after we're done eating we'll go to him,"** Cloudjumper responded.

Toothless and Hiccup nodded their heads before returning to their food along with the other dragons. Once they were done they headed to the Bewilderbeast's nest, he was happy to see that both of the boys were okay. Word had spread around the Dragon Sanctuary about their encounter with the Vikings. They all bowed before him, Toothless and Hiccup looked at him straight in the eye.

 **"King, we have returned from our ordeal,"** Hiccup stated.

 **"Indeed, I'm happy to see that. I assume that is what you wanted to discuss young one,"** the Bewilderbeast said.

 **"It is,"** Toothless replied. **"We came here to tell you that these Vikings are not like the others. They're more vicious and cruel… the leader, Drago Bludvist, wants to take over the world by capturing dragons and forcing them to help him."**

There was a moment of silence, the King allowed the new information to sink in. He motioned for them to continue.

 **"He also knows about Hiccup's gift dear King,"** Cloudjumper added. **"He tried to use his gift as a weapon against dragons."**

 **"That's not all King; he's had several encounters with dragons in the past. He bears the scars to prove it and he wears a constant reminder of it. A dragon skin cape."**

The King's eyes widen and he let out a small gasp.

 **"We came here to warn you about his existence and what is mission is,"** Hiccup said. **"But we also came to tell you that Toothless and I will continue to search for more dragons. This event has only made us more determined to do so."**

The large dragon stood tall from his nest, a look of determination shined in his eyes. He knew what must be done. He would not have his fellow dragons being hunted as a sick way to gain control over others.

 **"Thank you all for taking the time to tell me this… however this is something that must be shared to all the other dragons as well,"** the Bewilderbeast stated. **"I shall call for the others."**

With no arguments from them the King called for all of the dragons that occupied the Dragon Sanctuary. Once all the dragons heard their King's call they assembled in front of him. Every dragon was accounted for and the Bewilderbeast made his announcement.

 **"Thank you for coming everyone,"** the King stated. **"As you all may know Hiccup and Toothless went through a terrifying ordeal with a group of Vikings."**

Whispers could be heard amongst the dragons as the King said this.

 **"However that is not the reason why I called you all here. I called you all here because it appears like we have a new enemy amongst the Vikings. One that knows about Hiccup's gift."**

Suddenly whispers became gasps and some of the dragons scooted closer to their love ones.

 **"A man by the name Drago Bludvist is hunting for dragons and he's trying to control them. He tried to use Hiccup for this very purpose. His reason is because he wants to rule over the world… over both human and dragon kind."**

 **"What?"**

 **"The insanity of it all!"**

 **"How could he do such a thing?"**

 **"He's a human what else do you expect?"**

 **"These humans are horrible! They're at fault for this man's actions!"**

 **"How long must we dragons be the scapegoats to every single one of their problems?"**

 **"How long must we be hunted for just being what we are? Does this mean we can't go out into the world anymore?"**

 **"What about the hatchlings?"**

Feelings of anger and frustration erupted from the crowds of dragons; the boys couldn't blame them for having such feelings intense hatred. But that's not what they were trying to accomplish so they marched in front of the King, Hiccup motions for Toothless to somehow get the crowd's attention. With that Toothless fired a plasma blast into the air; the dragons stopped talking at the sight and sound of the blast.

 **"Everyone, listen to me,"** Hiccup firmly stated. **"I know it has been rough for you dragons and I know that you're all frustrated with the Vikings but we cannot allow those feelings to cloud our judgment or our hearts. That's what people like Drago want you all do to do… I promise you that there will come a day where all of us can live together. That's the goal Toothless and I. After all I'm a human too but I accept every one of you for who you are."**

Suddenly a Mudraker and Monstrous Nightmare stepped forward along with a Deadly Nadder. Hiccup recognized the three dragons. The Mudraker was the one Toothless had saved, Swampface. The Monstrous Nightmare and Deadly Nadder were the ones they had rescued from Berk, Hookfang and Stormfly.

 **"The boy is right,"** Swampface said. **"A human and a dragon saved me from certain doom and they brought me here with my family. It's because of them that we are able to live happily without fear of being captured or killed."**

 **"He brings up a good point,"** Hookfang stated. **"When I first saw that it was a human coming to save the dragons on Berk I had feelings of distrust towards him. However, he kept true to his promise 6to rescue us and not only that but he bears the scar of that rescue on his arm. Proof of his endless desire to save dragons and unite the two kinds."**

 **"It's true, when my parents were still alive they taught me that humans were nothing but savages who wanted to kill me… it was not long after their deaths that I was captured by the Vikings and injured."**

The boys remembered their first sighting of the Deadly Nadder, when she had been injured on her leg and being dragged away in restraints. The voice of the chief still rang in their minds.

 **"After that I knew that I could never trust a human… but that's when I met those two, I saw how a dragon put his faith and trust into a human of all things. But also saw how a human put the same amount of faith in trust in a dragon as well. That showed me that humans and dragons can get along… I hope that day will come soon,"** Stormfly said. **"Someday I want to be able to be with a human and have them trust me and me trust them… I want that more than anything."**

The dragons had heard the three statements; they listen with patience and interest. It was true though… if Hiccup was able to get along well with the dragons then why couldn't others? Never mind the fact that he was raised by dragons, the fact that he was a human was more than enough to convince them of that possible future. A future they all had hoped would come. The dragons turned their attention back to the King and the boys who stood in front of him.

 **"That being the case, we must take extra precautions to make sure that Drago never gets his hands on any dragons or the dragons that live here,"** the King said as he turned to the boys. **"What do you think we should do boys?"**

 **"I think we should have a curfew set and have each nest take a head count for their species. Not only that but dragons should start collecting as much food as they can in one hunting trip that way it will save them from going outside too many times. However, we must avoid taking food from any human villages. Drago might try to find us by seeing which villages have been raided by dragons. If we can follow these rules then maybe we can avoid Drago's detection,"** Hiccup explained.

 **"Hiccup is right, we can't be too careful when it comes to this man. He is a force to be reckoned with, much different from the other Vikings. We must protect our kind from him,"** Toothless stated.

Cloudjumper stood by his sons' sides and allowed them to explain what they should do. The King turned back to his fellow dragons.

 **"Does anyone have a problem with what Hiccup has suggested?"**

 **"No King!"** the crowd answered in unison.

 **"Good, the curfew and head counts will take place starting tomorrow. Whichever dragons that are in charge of their species nests must take count of the number of dragons that live there. And while we have plenty of food already from now on we will store as much as we can. The less trips the less likely one is to run into this man and his army,"** the Bewilderbeast said. **"In the meantime Hiccup and Toothless will continue to go out into the world to bring back more dragons. Everyone, you may return to your nests."**

The dragons took their leave while Toothless and Hiccup remained next to the King along with their father and Clawdia. Just then the boys started to feel drowsy and fell onto the ground, luckily their father had caught them with both of his wings.

 **"You boys have been through enough for one day,"** Cloudjumper said.

 **"Indeed,"** the King replied. **"Cloudjumper take your sons back to your nest, they need to rest. You too Clawdia."**

 **"If it's all the same to you King I think I'll stay with Cloudjumper and boys for tonight,"** Clawdia said.

 **"Very good, goodnight to you all then,"** the Bewilderbeast stated.

 **"Goodnight your majesty,"** Cloudjumper and Clawdia said in unison.

Hiccup and Toothless would have said the same thing but they had fallen fast asleep in their father's embrace. The dragons didn't mind though, Cloudjumper and Clawdia left with the boys. Leaving the King alone with his thoughts.

 _ **The road will be long for you two, there will be more times of difficulty ahead. How you both will overcome them will be an interesting sight to see.**_

The King sat down in his nest and allowed his eyes to close, rest sounded good to not just him but to the rest of the dragons as it had gotten late. The Dragon Sanctuary was peaceful and quiet now, every dragon was asleep in their nests. Dreaming of the day when a dragon could be accepted by a human and a human could be accepted by a dragon. Little did they know that dream was a step closer due to Hiccup's and Toothless's bond to each other… it was not too far away but it would not be so easy to achieve.

However, Drago and his men weren't' the only ones who Hiccup and Toothless had to be worried about. They didn't realize that the Vikings from the village Berk had already started several quests to find the nest… the Dragon Sanctuary. Just like Drago Bludvist, with Chief Stoick the Vast as the leader. A man looking for revenge for the son he never got the chance to know. The world around them held much mystery and much misunderstandings… when would anyone find out the truth?

 **Another time skip awaits in the next chapter! What other adventure awaits Hiccup and Toothless?**

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 20**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Fatherhood never came easy to anyone even to dragons. Especially if a dragon was raising a human child along with the offspring of a dragon. Both were surprises but good surprises to their adoptive father and to their community. The little hatchlings seemed so small and defenseless so many years ago but now those little hatchlings seemed to have grown up. At sixteen years old both were thriving in the world they lived in. A world that was different that only they could see.

Hiccup decided to do his usual rounds of checking up on the dragon eggs. At the moment he was tending to the Hackatoo nests. Toothless always accompanied his brother whenever he did these rounds. Hiccup would gently touch the eggs and feel how warm they were. He would then place his ear next to the shell and listen for the baby dragon inside. No matter how many times he had done such a task it always continued to amaze him. He could feel another life.

 **"It's so warm,"** Hiccup commented. **"This one's going to be a fighter. Congratulations Razortail and Axelle."**

The Hackatoo mates smiled at Hiccup's comment about one of their eggs.

 **"Thank you Hiccup we are very proud about being parents for the first time,"** Axelle stated. **"I can't wait until they're born."**

 **"Indeed it's going to be a sight to see,"** Razortail added.

Hiccup and Toothless nodded their heads before they moved onto another one of the eggs. Toothless sniffed the egg a little before wailing his tail back and forth. It was his way of showing that the baby was active and in good health. Hiccup smiled at his brother before turning his attention to the egg. He placed his ear next to it and listened carefully. He could hear the baby's heartbeat from within the egg. It was in a soothing rhythm to listen to.

 **"This one's a little quiet but active nonetheless, a comforting heartbeat and a relaxed spirit,"** Hiccup observed.

Razortail and Axelle listened to Hiccup's observations about the rest of their eggs, five in total. Toothless sniffed each of them just to be sure that they were fine. When they were done they carefully and gently placed the eggs back in their nests. They turned to the soon to be parents with smiles on their faces.

 **"Well it looks and feels like your babies are going to be healthy, have different personalities but happy nonetheless,"** Hiccup stated.

 **"Once again congratulations you two,"** Toothless added.

 **"Thank you boys for your thoughts, I hope you'll become good friends with our hatchlings,"** Razortail said.

 **"I wouldn't worry about that Razortail; we'll always be there for every dragon hatchling. We'll help guide them on the path of dragons,"** Toothless replied.

 **"We look forward to that, thank you again boys,"** Axelle stated.

The brothers nodded their heads in response.

 **"Well we should get going; we have to go see how the dragon hatchlings are doing,"** Hiccup said.

 **"Alright have a good day boys and send our greeting to your father,"** Razortail responded.

 **"Thank you and we will,"** Toothless answered as he turned around. **"Come on Hiccup."**

 **"I'm coming Toothless,"** Hiccup said as he followed the Night Fury.

The brothers left the Hackatoo's nest and proceeded to walk to the area where the dragon hatchlings were being kept. The hatchlings were only born four days ago but they were already a handful. Sure they were cute to look at but they were difficult to handle. The main reason for that being that they were at a stage where they couldn't speak proper dragonese and they didn't have the attention span to listen to anyone or any dragon. Hiccup chuckled a little at that. Even dragons could act like little human children at times.

 **"By the way Hiccup,"** Toothless addressed.

 **"Yes Toothless?"**

 **"Some of the parents want us to come up with names for the hatchlings; you've noticed that some of them don't have official names yet."**

 **"That's true… well then I guess we'll have to think of some then if that's the case."**

 **"Already on it,"** Toothless replied. **"I have some names listed."**

 **"I'm almost afraid to ask,"** Hiccup joked.

 **"Hey have a little more faith in me besides you're the one who named that area we landed in Itchy Armpit."**

Hiccup silenced himself once he heard that and blushed a little. He quickly changed the subject by clearing his throat.

 **"Speaking of that we need to go back there and scan the area properly, we didn't have time last time due to the fact that it started to rain heavily just when we landed."**

 **"That's for sure; we need to make sure that there are no dragons occupying that area."**

Hiccup nodded his head as he remembered the reason why they had to be quick about things like that. They would not risk running into Drago Bludvist or his men ever again. For the last four years they had done a pretty good job of avoiding they ever saw him or his men or his ships they would carefully hide as quickly as they could. If they had other dragons with them they would instruct them do so as well. So many precautions were made to not only their tactics but to the Dragon Sanctuary as well. The system they set up four years ago was working great. So far none for their friends were captured or harmed in any way by the madman. Then again the dragons made sure to spend most of their days inside the Sanctuary, not that any of them were complaining. The Sanctuary was a haven and a paradise; it provided all of them with a way to pass time and as a shelter. Hatchlings were not allowed to go outside until they reached the young adult stage for dragons. Only adult dragons could leave and even then they left just to gather more food if there was a shortage. Being careful was what was protecting them all and they were thankful for it.

The boys continued to walk to the open area where the hatchlings were currently occupying with their parents. The figures of several dragons and their children soon appeared. The boys made their way to them with smiles on their faces. They needed to get their minds of the madman that plagued their nightmares.

 **"Hi everyone,"** they said in unison.

 **"Look its Hiccup and Toothless!"**

 **"Hello boys."**

 **"Nice to see you two."**

 **"Greetings!"**

The dragon hatchlings saw the two boys and started to jump around. They made small noises before running up to them and tackling them. They proceeded to lick them and give them gentle bites, thankfully there bite force wasn't strong enough yet so it didn't hurt them too much.

 **"Hello little ones,"** Hiccup laughed.

 **"We're happy to see you too but you got to let us breathe,"** Toothless added jokingly.

Of course the little hatchlings didn't listen to them and kept up their antics. Their parents had to take them off of the two boys. Once they were off they laughed a little more before sitting up.

 **"Thanks for that,"** Toothless said

 **"Sorry about that boys you know how hatchlings are."**

 **"Don't worry it's not the first time we've been tackled by hatchlings,"** Hiccup stated. **"Remember the last bunch Toothless."**

 **"How could I forget?"** Toothless asked. **"Those little rascals were clung onto my tail for nearly two hours! It took a fresh batch of chewed fish to get them off."**

 **"Look on the bright side your tail provided good entertainment for them."**

 **"Lucky me,"** Toothless answered. **"But I guess that there's never a dull moment when you're with hatchlings."**

 **"That's the truth,"** Hiccup responded. **"Anyway let's see how these little ones are doing."**

The boys looked over the hatchlings while they ran around and jumped in the air. Overall they looked to be in good health. They were also examining their personalities and trying to distinguish them from the others.

 **"Boys,"** a Timberjack named Dicer addressed. **"As you know some of us are having trouble picking out names for our hatchlings."**

 **"Yes we're hoping that you can come up with some,"** a Swiftglider named Windchaser added.

 **"No need to worry, as I told Hiccup I've already been thinking of some,"** Toothless replied. **"For example…"**

Toothless walked to Windchaser's three hatchlings and pointed to their daughter first.

 **"She can be Airin, your son can be Bluewing and your youngest daughter can be Skylette… what do you say to that Hiccup?"** Toothless asked with a smug look on his face.

Hiccup smiled at his brother's look and went over to them, he petted the hatchlings.

" **Maybe I should have more faith in you dear brother of mine,"** Hiccup stated.

 **"Thank you,"** Toothless replied. **"What do you think little ones and Windchaser?"**

The hatchlings made gurgle sounds and pounded onto the Night Fury.

 **"I think they like it,"** Windchaser. **"I'll be sure to tell my mate that we finally have names for our hatchlings."**

 **"What about my hatchlings boys?"** a Shockjaw named Elektra asked.

 **"And ours?"** Dicer questioned.

 **"We need help too!"** the other dragons exclaimed.

 **"Okay, okay we'll get right on that. Isn't that right Toothless?"**

 **"Bring it on!"**

Toothless and Hiccup walked to the parents who had their hatchlings with them. They thought of names that suited each of the hatchlings. They had some difficulty with some but they managed to find them. The dragon parents were happy with the results and felt better about their children finally having names. Hiccup and Toothless stood proudly when they felt something touch their shoulders. They turned around to see their father Cloudjumper with a smile on his face.

 **"Dad!"** they exclaimed in unison.

 **"Hello my sons, looking after the hatchlings again?"** Cloudjumper asked.

 **"Yeah we were coming up with names for them Dad,"** Toothless said.

 **"Your boys have a knack for naming Cloudjumper,"** Elektra stated.

 **"It seems like they're discovering new talents every day,"** the Stormcutter replied. **"Did you boys have fun with your little naming activity?"**

 **"Sure did and Hiccup didn't have faith in me."**

 **"You're never going to let me live that down are you?"**

 **"Nope,"** Toothless bluntly said.

 **"Fantastic,"** Hiccup responded.

Cloudjumper chuckled at his sons little argument; he gathered them into his wings. The brothers laughed as he did so. He licked each of them before nuzzling them much to the other dragons' amusement. The hatchlings didn't pay attention as they were climbing onto their parents.

 **"Dad,"** Hiccup whined. **"You're embarrassing me."**

 **"Yeah me too,"** Toothless added. **"We're not little anymore.**

 **"That may be but no matter how big you grow you'll always be my little ones,"**

 **"Dad!"** they whined in unison.

 **"What? As your father I have the right to embarrass you from time to time."**

 **"He's right you know,"** a familiar voice said.

They looked to see Clawdia making her way toward them.

 **"Hi Aunt Clawdia,"** Toothless greeted.

 **"Nice to you see Aunt Clawdia,"** Hiccup added.

 **"Nice to see you too boys, having fun with your father?"** Clawdia questioned with an amused look on her face.

 **"It's not fun he's just embarrassing us,"** Hiccup said.

 **"Like I said I have a right to do that,"** Cloudjumper rebuffed.

 **"Can't you at least do it when no one is around?"** Toothless asked.

 **"Hmmm… let me think,"** Cloudjumper contemplated. **"No, otherwise it wouldn't be embarrassing would it?"**

 **"You're so not fair,"** Hiccup replied.

The dragons chuckled and Cloudjumper hugged his sons closer to himself. The boys sighed in defeat and shrugged. They gave in and hugged their father tightly, Cloudjumper returned the action. The boys couldn't believe that it had been sixteen years since their adoption. Sixteen years since their birth… and sixteen years of Hiccup being raised amongst the dragons. The human boy had no regrets about choosing to stay with Cloudjumper and Toothless or any of the other dragons. He felt like he was where he needed to be. Thanks to him and Toothless many more dragons were aware of the existence of the Dragon Sanctuary and were now living there, safe from the humans. He had learned all he needed to know about each dragon and he understood where his destiny lied.

 **"Are you boys planning to leave the Sanctuary soon?"** Cloudjumper asked.

 **"Yeah, we'll probably be leaving tomorrow morning since we want to check up on the other nests with eggs and stay with the hatchlings a little longer,"** Hiccup explained. **"We'll be heading back to the area where we last landed in; we didn't have time to fully scan it due to the bad weather."**

 **"As soon as we scan it we'll probably see if there are many more lands we need to look at as well,"** Toothless added. **"No dragon must be left behind during this crucial time."**

 **"You're right,"** Cloudjumper replied. **"Ever since what happened to you two all those years ago… well.. let's just say that you can't be too careful now."**

Cloudjumper had a hard time recalling the incident his sons had with Drago four years ago, he didn't like to talk or think about it. He never wanted to lose his sons like that ever again. The other dragons shifted uncomfortably and some of them wrapped a wing around their hatchlings. They feared what Cloudjumper feared. They didn't want Drago to get his hands on their hatchlings… it was a parent's worst nightmare to see their children get taken away from them. The boys shook their heads and gave their father a serious.

 **"We'll be careful Dad,"** Toothless said. **"Hopefully it never comes to a point where we have to go through something like that ever again."**

 **"My thoughts exactly,"** the Stormcutter responded. **"Just remember you have my blessings and my love."**

 **"We know Dad,"** Hiccup stated with a small blush. **"We love you too."**

 **"Yeah we love you even if you do embarrass us from time to time,"** Toothless admitted.

Cloudjumper and Clawdia smiled at the two brothers and then glanced at each other. Both had mischievous looks on their faces. Hiccup and Toothless immediately felt a panic feeling wash over them, they looked for an excuse to leave.

 **"Well we should be getting back to the hatchlings,"** Toothless said.

 **"Right Toothless we should be doing that so bye Dad and Aunt Clawdia,"** Hiccup added.

Just when they we ready to start running they felt two pairs of wings wrap around them and pulled them to their owners. The brothers let out a gasp as they were pulled to the Stormcutter and Raincutter. Just when they reached their destinations the two dragons started to nuzzle them and hugged them tightly. They squished the boys' faces into theirs and let out cooing sounds that a parent would make to their child.

 **"Dad! Aunt Clawdia!"** they yelled in unison.

 **"Aww my little boys are so adorable!"** Cloudjumper cooed.

 **"You both deserve a great big hug!"** Clawdia crooned.

 **"Cut it out you two!"** Toothless exclaimed.

 **"I take it back you're both embarrassing!"** Hiccup shouted.

They struggled to get out of their large embrace but got them nowhere. The other dragons merely laughed and couldn't help but hug their hatchlings to them as well.

Despite their protests the boys secretly enjoyed the attention they were receiving from their father and aunt. Cloudjumper was right though, no matter how big they got they would always be his sons. For that they were happy. Moments like this really did reassure Hiccup he was where he was meant to be. He couldn't imagine life without these dragons and without the Dragon Sanctuary he called home. His home with his family. However, even with these thoughts he couldn't help but wonder about the other family that he choose to leave behind nearly ten years ago. He wondered how they went on with life without him… and if they ever forgot about him. He was sad that he had to leave them and that he never got a chance to know them but faith had other plans for him. He knew that for a fact… his gift proved that. He only hoped that they would have understood and maybe just maybe they would have been proud of him. At least he could hope that.

In Berk things were not going well as usual, another search to find the dragons nest had turned up with failure once again. Nothing was found and they were not even a step closer to finding it. Years of searching had taken its toll on the Vikings as well as the the people who inhabited the village. However, none of them could compare to that of Chief Stoick the Vast. His anger and hatred for the flying beasts had increased with every failed attempt. His wife, Valka, remained as she as had been. Quiet, fragile and calm even in times of peril. She put on a straight face but deep down she was still heartbroken over the loss she had suffered sixteen years ago. She always had a fascination with the dragons and she could never kill one but at the same time she remembered that it was a dragon that had caused her so much misery. Misery that she shared with her husband.

She was currently sewing a new blanket to keep her mind off her pain when she heard the door open suddenly. She didn't have to turn around to know who it was. She let out a small sigh and continued with her work.

"Valka," Stoick addressed as he entered their house.

"Stoick," she replied quietly.

"Nothing once again," he stated.

"I know dear," Valka replied.

Over the years the answer never changed, she had grown use to her husband's travels. She didn't know how to feel about them though. She didn't like the idea of her beloved wasting his time searching for something that previous generations of Vikings had never been able to do. On the other hand she understood why he had to do it. But attacking the dragons at their nest wasn't going to change anything. It wouldn't ease his anger, it wouldn't erase her pain and… it wouldn't bring back their son. Revenge didn't solve anything but she knew better than to push the subject.

Stoick removed his helmet and sat down in his chair; he let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead. Valka stopped her sewing and placed the blanket down. She walked to the kitchen to pour Stoick a drink; once the cup was full she walked to him and gently placed it in front of him. Stoick accepted it and drank it quickly before placing it back down on the table. Valka gave him a gentle smile as she sat down next to him. She placed her hand over his.

"I'm sure you did the best you could," she reassured.

"There's a difference between trying and actually accomplishing it Valka," Stoick said. "These last years have been nothing but an endless search of failure. Every time we get on those waters I think that it's the time we're going to find it but alas…"

He bowed his head in shame and Valka squeezed her husband's hand gently. Sadness could be seen in her green eyes.

"This cannot go on Stoick," she stated. "I know how much this means to you but there comes a time where maybe you should reconsider your actions. I know how much you hate it when things don't go your way but you are the chief of Berk not the chief of the world Stoick. Remember that, you and I are nothing but small beings living in a large world. A world where mysteries exist and where we will never be able to fully comprehend what lies beyond the waters."

"There is no need to know of anything else Valka, knowing too much is what gets you into trouble. We've been keeping it safe by staying here and by telling them of the dangers of the world."

"But it also creates ignorance as well Stoick," Valka corrected. "Isolating the villagers isn't going to help them. They'll live their lives thinking that Berk is the only land in the world and we both know that's not true."

"They're safe, they're still breathing and amongst the living" Stoick firmly stated. "That's all that should matter to them. They have a chance to live a life, to eat, to work, to get married, to have a family, to have chil-"

Stoick quickly stopped himself from finishing the word; Valka gave him a look of despair. He clenched his hand into a fist and stood up. He walked away from the table; his back was facing his wife. Tears leaked out of Valka's eyes but she quickly wiped them away and hugged herself.

The house was now silent and tension filled the air, no hostile feelings were held towards the two. Both understood why they felt the way they did and they still loved each other after all these years of marriage and of hardships. If anything their tragic loss brought them closer and made them need each other more. However, that didn't mean that it was any easier than it was before. Every day they had to be reminded of their loss. Valka more so than Stoick. She was left in the village most of the time, she would see children playing and parents tending to their young. While Stoick was on the ocean surround by the strongest men and women who agreed to join him. Not a child was in his sight. Valka figured that maybe that was another reason why Stoick went on so many searches as well. He tried to ignore it and he tried to forget. Not being constantly reminded of it made that easier for him. It pained her to see her husband go through such lengths in order to avoid it.

Suddenly a sharp knock on the door snapped them back to reality.

"Stoick!" a familiar voice called.

"Gobber!" Valka gasped.

Stoick quickly answered the door to see his childhood friend standing there. He was panting and it looked like he had something important to say.

"Gobber, what is it?" Stoick asked.

"Stoick… there… there's a man… asking for you…" Gobber panted. "In… in the harbor… his ship… is docked there."

"A man wishing to see Stoick?" Valka questioned.

"Did he say what his name was Gobber?" Stoick asked.

"Yes… and it's a familiar name to you… his name… is…. Drago Bludvist."

Stoick and Valka felt their hearts stop beating at the sound of that name. It had been a long time since they heard and they would have preferred if it stayed that way forever. Valka walked to Stoick and held his arm tightly. Stoick understood her fear and worry as he placed a hand over hers. Stoick turned back to Gobber, by this time Gobber had regained his breath and his composure.

"What is that madman doing here?" Stoick growled.

"He said that he has a proposition for you," Gobber replied.

"The audacity! How dare he set his ship in my land and ask for business from me! Send him away immediately!"

Stoick was about to walk away when Gobber's next statement stopped him.

"But Stoick, it concerns your dragon problem."

He stopped right where he was and slowly turned to Gobber with a look of shock on his face, Valka too looked surprised over the sudden statement.

"What does he mean by that?" Stoick questioned.

"He says that you and him have a common goal and he would like be of some assistance," Gobber explained. "What do you want to do Stoick? I know how you feel about that man… but I also know how you feel about dragons. So I ask you once again Stoick, what do you want to do?"

Stoick merely stood there; he was stuck in his thoughts. He contemplated over the situation he and the village were in. He found it odd that Drago was asking to be of service to him. He knew Drago and he knew that he didn't do anything out of the kindness of his heart, if he even had one. Stoick could still recall the first time he met with the bloodthirsty Viking, that day when the chieftains were slaughtered like cattle. He was the only survivor… but he never forgot about that day. He couldn't forget how Drago managed to use dragons to accomplish such a task. It proved just how far Drago was willing to go to get what he wanted.

He knew better than to trust such a person but at the same time the village was in a crisis. The raids on their village had decreased over the years but not to the point where he wanted to quit hunting the dragons nest. Their sudden disappearances made him think that they were there as well and for some unknown reason where staying there. That meant more dragons would be at one location, he would be able to kill more than he had hoped if that was the case.

The biggest problem they faced was the fact that they couldn't maintain a stable set of supplies both on the ship and in the village. With most of the men and women gone there was little to no one to look for food on land nor was there really anyone to work on the necessities such as shelter, weapons or farming. Ships were a pain to handle as well, most of the time they would come back with broken parts due to the weather or sharp rocks. Finding the find materials needed wasn't easy either and the supplies they had for fixing it was decreasing rapidly.

With all of this information Stoick rubbed his forehead; this couldn't go on for long. Even if Drago wasn't trustworthy at the same time having some help might be welcomed at this point. However, he needed to hear the full proposition. He took in a deep breath as he prepared to say what he had to say.

"I will speak with him," Stoick stated.

"Stoick!" Valka gasped.

He looked at his wife, he knew her concerns but at the same time he was the chief. As a chief sometimes difficult decisions needed to be made.

"I know Valka," he said then he turned back to Gobber. "On the condition that it is just the two of us, no one else will be with us when we are discussing the matter. We will meet in the Mead Hall."

"Very well then Stoick," Gobber replied as he stood up. "I will inform him right now… but I only hope you know what you're doing."

Gobber had a look of uncertainty on his face as he went back to the ship where Drago was currently in. Stoick and Valka were left behind in their house; Valka couldn't believe what her husband had just agreed to. She walked to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He caressed it gently as she did so.

"Stoick," she addressed. "Drago is not a man to be trusted. You know that more than I do, why would you agree to such a meeting?"

"Because Valka, this continuous search for the nest needs to end. The village can't take it anymore," Stoick stated. "Neither can I."

"Stoick…." she whispered.

"I'm just so tired of it all Valka… I want this to end quickly," Stoick said. "I can't go on with my life until I have revenge amongst those vile beasts."

Valka gave him a sad look; he turned to her and took her hands into his.

"When this is all over we can go back to the way things were. I know we can never bring back what we loss but we can at least try to move on from it… especially after finding the nest."

He kissed her lips and she returned it. After that he walked out the door and headed for the Mead Hall, waiting for the very man who could easily destroy him. Valka returned to her sewing, while trying to keep her fear and worry at bay.

Just as Stoick had ordered no one was in the Mead Hall but him. He waited patiently for Drago to arrive there. He hoped at he was making the right decision in meeting with him. Otherwise things could go wrong… even more so than they already were. Suddenly the doors to the Mead Hall opened wide.

There he stood. Dragon skin cape, scars and a prosthetic arm. There was no denying that this truly was Drago Bludvist. Drago saw the chief sitting there waiting for him. He gave him a smirk that could send shivers down the strongest man's spine.

"Good afternoon Chief Stoick," Drago greeted.

"Drago Bludvist," Stoick stated. "To what do I owe the pleasure of having you come to talk business with me?"

"It's quite simple really," Drago said as he walked toward the table Stoick was sitting at.

Once he reached it he sat down and gave his full attention to the Chief of Berk.

"You and I are more similar than you think Stoick," Drago said.

"We are nothing alike," Stoick rebuffed with a hint of disgust in his tone.

"We're both after the same thing aren't we? The dragons nest," Drago replied. "You and I both know that no other Viking has had any luck in finding it. But do you know why that is?"

"Enlighten me," Stoick said.

"It's because those villages worked alone, they called for no help from other villages or any other Viking leaders. Their stubbornness is what led to more dragon raids and an endless fight to find out where all the dragons gather," Drago explained. "If they had worked with another they could have found the nest and be done with it."

"What are you suggesting Drago?" Stoick questioned.

Even though he asked he had a feeling he knew what Drago would be asking for.

"We work together Stoick," Drago firmly stated with a smirk. "And you don't' have to worry about the dragons anymore."

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 21**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Stoick couldn't believe what Drago had just proposed to him. His blood boiled over the thought of working with the madman. Especially after all he had done, his crimes were not only against dragons but to humanity as well.

 _He really is a madman! Why would he come here to ask this of me of all people? Then again his reputation exceeds far beyond any lands with Vikings._

Stoick stood up from his seat and slammed his fists into the table. Drago remained where he was and didn't say anything at the chief's reaction. If anything he looked amused.

"I don't know what is more foolish!" Stoick yelled. "Your arrogance or this proposition!"

Drago didn't respond to that either, he waited for the chief to calm down before saying anything else. Nothing would have made him happier than to punish Stoick for his behavior but he knew that he had to be careful. He needed the chief and Berk.

 _The people of Berk could be what is missing from my plan. If I can get their chief on my side I will have no problem locating the nest… and maybe just maybe I can find that boy and his dragon in the process._

Even after four years he never forgot about that boy and the Night Fury. But then again it was pretty hard to forget about the defat he and his men had suffered under those two along with the other dragons that had come for them. He knew what the boy's secret was… or at least he had an idea on what it was. He needed to find the boy in order to confirm though. With Berk's help that shouldn't have been too hard.

He saw that Stoick had calmed down and managed to sit back in his seat. Drago took the opportunity to speak and he was careful with his words. He didn't have the patience to deal with Stoick's anger.

"I understand your rage Stoick," he said. "But over the last years I have learned much about the world. One of those lessons is that there is a time and a place for everything. I am in need of assistance Stoick. The time for that assistance is now and the place is here."

"Why my village Drago?" Stoick asked.

Drago smirked; he knew precisely why he had chosen Stoick's village to aid him in the search. A reason that the Chief of Berk couldn't deny himself.

"You have been searching for the nest just as long as I have Stoick," Drago said. "If I'm going to work with anyone I want that someone to have knowledge about the goal. While you haven't been able to find anything at the same time you have learned new tactic in searching. Who could ask for a better partner to work with?"

Stoick's eye twitched a little at the sound of Drago addressing him as a partner. He didn't want to be affiliated with his man but Drago was bringing up a good point. He wouldn't say it out loud though. He would never admit to him being right.

"And then there's your motivation," Drago added.

His hands turned into fists at that.

"You lost something very precious to you Stoick and that is why you have an intense hatred for the flying beasts," Drago stated, I too have lost precious things to them and my hatred is the result of that."

"I will repeat myself; we are not the same Drago!" Stoick rebuffed. "Don't act as if you can understand what Valka and I have been through!"

"But I do!"

"No you don't!"

"I do understand Stoick!" Drago shouted.

Drago stood up from his seat and pointed to his arm with a look of disgust on his face.

"I live with a constant reminder of my losses! I wake up every morning and see what is missing along with the memories of how it went missing!" Drago firmly stated. "What do you have to remind you of your losses? An empty cradle that's what!"

Stoick couldn't take it anymore; he leaped from his seat and ran over to the man. He grabbed him by the collar and did his best to lift him up but Drago fought back. He punched Stoick with his prosthetic arm and sent the chief downward to the floor. Just when Stoick was about to stand up again Drago blocked him by placing his prosthetic hand to his neck.

"You talk about being foolish and yet you yourself just did something foolish right now!" Drago stated. "Do not make do something you'll regret Stoick."

Stoick panted but he didn't move from where he was trapped. Drago could end his life right there without the use of the weapon. Drago was a weapon. And for that he needed to be cautious. He looked the scarred man right in the eye.

"Don't speak of my son Drago," Stoick said. "Sixteen years of being constantly reminded of it has taken a toll on me."

"I can see that," Drago replied. "Your actions show it."

Drago stepped back and released Stoick from the threat he placed on him. The Chief of Berk stood up and rubbed his face where he had been hit.

"You see Stoick," Drago said. "We really are not so different. You hold the same intense hatred as I do when it comes to the dragons. Aren't you tired of having a reminder that holds nothing but pain and failure?"

Drago's words were hitting Stoick but he made no comment on them. It was true though, he was tired of having to look at the cradle that belonged to his infant son. Valka had hidden the cradle from him but you didn't need to have the real thing in front of you in order for it to affect you. Stoick had the cradle in his mind. The image was forever burned there and the pain of it was carved into his heart. After his lost his son he had two titles brought onto him besides the Chief of Berk. He was a horrible father and a horrible spouse.

He failed to protect his first and only child and he failed to give Valka anymore children that would have eased her heartbreak along with constantly leaving her alone to deal with the pain by herself. Not that he wouldn't have loved to have more children with her but he allowed his fears to get the best of him. He feared that if he had another child that child would have suffered the same fate. And then more pain would come. He feared that he wouldn't have been able to protect him or her. He couldn't bring another child into a world where dragons ruled and Vikings were a constant target. They were selfish reasons, he knew that but they were reasons nonetheless. HE didn't know if Valka had the same fears as well. He never bothered to ask her.

 _That's the problem with me. I cannot talk to anyone like that nor can I listen to everything that is being said. Despite this she still loves me… I am not worthy of such love. Valka deserves better… a lot better._

He shook the thoughts of his wife away as he remembered the situation he was in. He knew that this couldn't go on forever. He refused to be one of those Vikings who spent his days searching for the nest and die with nothing to show for it. He would find it and he would have something to show for it. But if he accepted Drago's aid… he would be getting himself to a situation that would be hard to get out of.

At times like this he hated that he was the chief. He had to do what was best for his village. The people of Berk couldn't handle going on these searches forever and leaving their families behind constantly. Tired didn't even begin to describe what the village was going through. They couldn't keep living like this and he knew that. Maybe help is what they needed but why did it have to be Drago Bludvist?

"Your people need my people and my people need yours," Drago said. "We need each other in order to end this war Stoick."

There was nothing more Stoick would have liked than to end this war that had plagued Vikings since the beginning of time. He wanted to destroy the creatures and bring peace to all Vikings and their families. He wanted a world where they didn't have to live in constant fear. He wanted revenge! He wanted it so much!

 _What should I do?_

"So," Drago started. "Do we have a deal Stoick, Chief of Berk?"

Drago held out his hand to him. Sweat beaded down Stoick's face as thought about his decision.

 _I'm going to regret this I know it… but I'll have to deal with that later._

With hesitation Stoick held out his hand and shook with Drago's. The grip was firm but still showed hesitation on Stoick's part.

"Deal."

A smirk spread across Drago's face as the deal was complete.

"Excellent."

The men pulled their hands back once it was over and Drago turned around. He started to walk back to the door.

"I must go spread the news to my men," Drago stated. "I suggest that you do the same with your people. We can discuss more later on tonight and then my men and I will leave for a short while in order to send word to the others."

This caught Stoick's attention.

"What do you mean by that?" Stoick questioned.

"Several of my men are in other locations right now, trying to look for more areas they have missed. But don't worry they'll be on the same page as us. Until then Chief Stoick."

With that Drago left, his dragon skin cape trailing behind him. The doors closed and Stoick was left alone with his thoughts. This deal didn't mean that he trusted him, he knew there was something more behind it. Why wait so long to ask for help?

 _I know he must have other motives for searching for the dragons' nest. The only question is what are they?_

He let out a sigh and walked out of the Mead Hall. As soon as he opened the door he saw that his people were out there waiting anxiously for him. He stood proud and tall, trying to hide the regret he felt. He readied himself to declare what he had just done right now.

 _I will have my revenge. For you my son. My Hiccup._

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 22**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Sunlight hit the brothers as they stepped out into the open, Hiccup held onto Toothless as he flew. They had just eaten breakfast with their father and told him they would be gone for a while in other to search for more dragons. They had told him that they probably would have been home later than usual much to Cloudjumper's dismay. He wasn't fond of when his sons had to be out so late. Hiccup and Toothless made a habit out of doing this lately. Sometimes there were days when they would come home the next morning. They always came back they argued but that didn't ease Cloudjumper's worries. It took a lot for him not to go out and search for them during times like this. But the boys had said that they had to grow up sometime. Being sixteen meant they were only two years away from reaching adulthood. Even though they knew how protective their father was and how they were his little boys at the same time they were not as young as they used to be. Cloudjumper knew that and he liked to joke to them about it as well. That's why letting them do stuff like this was his way of slowly letting go. After all he allowed them to be alone in the outside world for a long time before they were captured by Drago and even after that.

The brothers flew over the vast ocean and looked for the area they last landed in. It was designated as Itchy Armpit thanks to Hiccup. Toothless rolled his acid green eyes as he thought about that name. There were times when he didn't understand his brother. And that was saying something.

 _ **I'm almost afraid to ask him if he has any other name ideas. Hopefully the next land he names won't be a name that he came up with just because he saw something convenient.**_

Toothless chuckled a little as he flew which caught Hiccup's attention. He looked down at the Night Fury.

 **"What's so funny Toothless?"**

 **"Nothing I was just thinking about the name you gave to the land again."**

 **"You'll never get over that one as well will you?"**

 **"Probably not."**

 **"Great."**

 **"It's your fault for naming something after you saw something convenient."**

 **"I don't think you should talk mister,"** Hiccup rebuffed while pouting. **"After all your name is Toothless even though you have teeth."**

Toothless playfully glared at the sixteen year old.

 **"Well at least I'm not named after an annoying sound things make in an endless pattern,"** Toothless responded. **"Not to mention I came up with better names for the hatchlings than you."**

 **"I let you think that. I could come up with better names than you any day."**

 **"Oh yeah?"**

 **"Yeah?"**

With that Toothless turned his body upward so that Hiccup was hanging upside down and struggling to hold on more.

 **"Toothless!"** he whined.

 **"What's wrong can't take it?"** Toothless asked.

 **"You know it's I hate it when you do this!"**

 **"Does it annoy you?"**

 **"Yes!"**

 **"Then I'm going to do it!"**

Toothless picked up more speed as flew faster while Hiccup hanged on for dear life. He chuckled at the look on his brother's face as he did so. Hiccup was trying his best not to fall off as the wind brushed against him.

 **"Toothless, you maniac!"**

 **"Oh like you're the sane one,"** Toothless playfully rebuffed.

 **"More sane than you!"**

 **"We'll see about that!"**

Toothless drove for the ocean, in all his years of flying he knew how to navigate well. He could fly right side up, upside down, forward, left, right… just about anywhere. He was really proud of himself because that meant he could annoy Hiccup more. Hiccup kept screaming at him as the water hit him. Toothless's entire back was brushing against the water while he placed his face in an upward position so water wouldn't get in his eyes. Hiccup thrashed as he held on but secretly he was enjoying the playful argument they were having. This wasn't the first time his brother had done this to him and it certainly wasn't the last. He didn't mind though, he loved spending time with Toothless.

After several more seconds Toothless flew higher and turned the right way so Hiccup was back in the right position. Water was dripping all over Hiccup as he moved his bangs away from his eyes. Once he did so he could see that the land was just straight behead. Toothless laughed as he turned to see his brother.

" **That's a good look for you,"** Toothless joked.

" **Ha ha very funny Toothless,"** Hiccup said. **"But now it's my turn."**

With a mischievous smirk Hiccup scratch Toothless around his neck before making his way under his chin, every dragon's weak point. Toothless immediately felt the effects and felt a little drowsy. He was flying lower now and his wings were staring to go limp.

 **"Hiccup…"** he said in a weak tone. **"Stop… it… you're… crazy."**

 **"What's that? You said to keep going? Okay!"**

Hiccup kept scratching the same areas and Toothless's flying got lower as a result. Hiccup wasn't too worried about crashing since the their destination was not too far and they would be landing in an area full of bushes.

 **"We're… going… to… crash."**

 **"Don't worry you'll live."**

 **"Hate… you."**

 **"I love you too."**

And just like that they landed right in the bushes, Toothless more so than Hiccup since he was on top of the dragon. He laughed as Toothless dug himself out and was now facing his brother; the Night Fury was covered in twigs and leaves. Toothless was laughing on the inside at the moment as his brother got revenge on him. Not the first time and certainly not the last.

 **"That's a good look for you,"** Hiccup joked.

 **"Ha ha very funny Hiccup,"** Toothless replied.

The brothers burst out laughing as they got out of the bushes and sat down on the ground. Toothless brushed the twigs and leaves off while Hiccup shook off the water. The brothers relaxed as they laid across the main grass as the sunlight hit them. They both let out a sigh of content as they could hear the sounds of the birds chirping and the wind dancing.

 **"Life is good,"** Toothless said.

" **Yeah, it is."**

They sighed again as they stood up and stretched.

 **"Well let's start looking around,"** Hiccup said. **"Maybe we can go home sooner if we get started right now."**

 **"Yeah might as well."**

 **"I hate worrying Dad so much but still…"**

 **"I know I do too but we're not hatchlings anymore,"** Toothless added. **"We've seen a lot of things in this world we live in. Most of those things haven't been seen by humans or dragons. As a result we've grown up faster than others."**

 **"I think you're right about that. Maybe that's why we have a different outlook on things and that's why we have such a close bond. You're the only one who has seen what I've seen."**

 **"And you're the only one who has seen what I've seen as well,"** Toothless replied. **"I couldn't have asked for a better brother."**

 **"Neither could I."**

The brothers smiled at each other before walking deeper into the land. They called out to dragons and searched high and low for them. So far it didn't look like there was anything or anyone here but they had to be sure. They didn't want to take a chance of leaving a dragon behind and possibly being found by Drago and his men. Hiccup rubbed his wrists as he recalled the feeling of the chaining that kept his prisoner aboard the ship. To think that he was so close to spending the rest of his life like that was unbearable and the thought of Toothless being chained up as well was too hurtful to think of. They could've been prisoners forever if not for their father's paternal instincts and the help of their aunt and some new dragon friends. Ever since that rescue the boys held a special place in their hearts for the brother and sister pair known as Rockbottom and Seaspring. Whenever they had seen them around the sanctuary they made sure to greet them and they greeted back. Recently Rockbottom became a father to three sons and two daughters while Seaspring was carrying her first batch of eggs inside her womb. Both were as happy as they could be with their mates and with their extended family in the dragon community.

Hiccup couldn't help but wonder if that would ever happen to him or Toothless in the future. He knew Toothless was the only Night Fury but he didn't have to mate with a Night Fury in order to have children. Dragons could have hatchlings with any other dragon that wasn't in their species or even in their class. Seaspring mated with a Typhoomerg named Torch and was now carrying his hatchlings. One of their father's friends Bumper, a Gronckle, mated with a Snifflehunch named Sharpnose. There were other couples like the throughout the Dragon Sanctuary and the brothers had seen their hatchlings from time to time. It would be alright for Toothless to start a family when he wanted to but what about him? There was no other human in the Dragon Sanctuary not to mention the fact that his wife most likely wouldn't be accepting of his dragon family or friends. What if they had children? Would she trust their children around the dragons? He wanted his father and brother to be a part of his children's lives that's for sure but what if she didn't? He guessed that he would have to settle this war sooner and make her understand in order for that not to happen. He wanted a future where his children could be friends with the children of dragons. After all their cousins were going to be dragons.

 **"Alright looks like there are no dragons here Toothless,"** Hiccup said.

 **"I guess you're right. Well then let's move on to see if there are any other lands."**

 **"Sounds good to me."**

Hiccup leaped on the dragon's back and they took off, they had spent several hours on Itchy Armpit but the sun was still up so they headed for another destination. Along the way they stopped to catch something to eat as they needed to keep up with their strength. Instead of the usual fish they managed to catch a boar. Throughout the years Hiccup had learned a lot about the dragons and that included their diets. Dragons usually feasted on fish but some other dragons ate other things as well. For instance Hookfang and the other Monstrous Nightmares' sometimes would eat boar meat. Stormfly and the other Deadly Nadders' would eat chicken. Torch and the other Typhoomergs' had a taste for eel. Usually Hiccup would eat whatever his father and brother were eating; he didn't mind it though he loved eating what they ate. Besides the sanctuary had plenty of food and not just fish and meat, it also provided them with fruits. Hiccup recalled his father telling him that he had him suckle on some frozen peaches from time to time when he was teething.

He remembered one time when they were young they had gone out with their father he heard two Vikings fighting over someone stealing some bread. They were blaming it on the other when in actuality it had been Toothless and him. Their father wasn't too happy about them doing something like this since it could have gotten them caught but he didn't mind having a share of the bread. That was their father; he couldn't stay mad at them forever. The only reason why they had done so in the first place was because Hiccup rarely had a chance to eat food that was made by humans. Toothless was curious about what human made food tasted like as well so they decided to try it for themselves. Luckily they didn't get caught and they were able to leave just in time with their father. Hiccup chuckled at the memory.

 **"Hiccup I see another land,"** Toothless said.

 **"Alright then Toothless take us down."**

 **"Got it."**

Toothless flew onto the new stretch of land in his sights and gently landed on the ground. Hiccup jumped off his back and started to look around. Once Toothless regained his composure he used his sharp hearing as well as smell to detect if there was any threat near them. He didn't find anything and he nudged his brother.

 **"Let's keep going."**

 **"Okay."**

The brothers walked side by side as they headed into the brush. When they split up they wouldn't go too far from each other but far enough to see any other areas. Toothless would search high and Hiccup would search low, calling out to any dragon that would recognize their language and respond. All they got was echoes of their voices. Just like last time there was no one there and it was time for them to move on.

 **"What should we call this one Hiccup?"** Toothless asked. **"And this time don't make it stupid."**

Hiccup let out a sigh as well as a low chuckle his brother's comment. He scratched his chin and contemplated what to call this new location. That's when it hit him; a smile appeared on his face as he turned to the Night Fury.

 **"Echo Location,"** Hiccup stated.

 **"What?"** Toothless questioned.

 **"Echo Location,"** Hiccup said. **"That can be the land's name."**

 **"Huh… it does have a certain ring to it,"** Toothless commented. **"So why that name?"**

 **"Because all we heard was echoes here and they were from us. Then I was thinking about location and that's the other part of the name."**

 **"I like it,"** Toothless said. **"Finally you use your brain for something useful, although it's still a strange name."**

 **"Who knows maybe someone in the future will put it to good use,"** Hiccup replied.

 **"Yeah maybe… well then Echo Location it is,"** Toothless said. **"Now let's get going before we run into trouble."**

 **"Right behind you."**

Hiccup got on Toothless's back and they started to fly back into the air. They followed the ocean to the next patch of land that had yet to be discovered by them. The sun was already starting to set but they kept going. Hiccup recognized that the area they were in was not that far from Berk but far away from the Dragon Sanctuary.

 **"One more land Toothless and then we go home,"** Hiccup said.

 **"Okay."**

The brothers flew over the ocean until they came across an area filled with fog but they could see that there was some land hidden within it so they kept on going. That is until they saw the fort. They had seen them before whenever they ventured out into the world… and when they had to rescue dragons. Vikings tended to put their dragon prisoners in obvious places or at least it was obvious to the brothers. However, the fort wasn't the only thing they saw. There were also docks and a few boats. There was a dark atmosphere surrounding the fort.

 **"This does not look good,"** Hiccup commented.

 **"You think?"** Toothless questioned in a sarcastic tone. **"Let's get a closer look to make sure though."**

 **"Okay."**

Toothless flew lower and hid in the corners of the landscape until they came close enough to get a proper look at the fort. He landed but Hiccup didn't get off his back. They watched in horror as they saw several men walk off the boats with familiar figures in tow. Those figures were dragons. Chained dragons. Hiccup and Toothless gasped as the dragons struggled to get loose only to be hit. There were adult dragons as well as young ones. They were led into the fort and Toothless could hear the sounds of metal pounding against metal. Cages, he could figure that out.

 **"This is a prison for dragons,"** Toothless deduced.

 **"I knew it,"** Hiccup replied.

 **"You know we just can't stand by and allow this continue right Hiccup?"** Toothless questioned.

 **"Of course I do,"** Hiccup responded. **"Let's get ready, we're not leaving until we've rescued those dragons… and destroy that fort."**

 **"What's your plan brother?"** Toothless asked.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**

 **Next chapter… Hiccup and Toothless meet a familiar face!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 23**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 **I'm back! Sorry to keep you all waiting. *bows head in apology***

 **I know that I haven't updated in a while but I am thankful and appreciate you all for staying with this fanfic. It is for this very reason that I have posted two chapters instead of one! Once again thank you all and enjoy. XD**

" **Got it?"** Hiccup questioned.

" **Got it,"** Toothless stated. **"Let's put this plan into action."**

Hiccup nodded, they waited for the right moment. Once they knew that all of the dragons were off the boat they would attack. They waited and waited… until… now! Toothless stretched his wings and flew as fast as he could to the first boat he saw. He readied his attack while Hiccup held on tightly. A purple light could be seen in Toothless's mouth as he fired his plasma blast. It hit the boat!

The men were busy loading the dragons into their cells while Eret was taking count of how many they brought today. He was on his own today due to the fact that Drago had went to go talk to the chief of Berk, Stoick the Vast. The plan was to try and convince the chief to aide Drago in the battle against dragons. Eret personally had no idea how he would his leader would accomplish such a task. He knew why Stoick hated the dragons, in fact almost every Viking in the world knew why he hated them, but he wondered if that would be enough to convince him to side with Drago Bludvist. He shook his head several times before continuing to count the dragons deciding that he would hear from Drago as soon as a decision was reached. That's when it happened!

A large blast hit one of the boats! Fire erupted from the wreckage! Debris and smoke filled the air as the men fell to the ground from the recoil and the dragons struggled even more in their restraints letting out cries of worry and fear. Nobody could comprehend what was happening.

"What happened?" Eret yelled as he stood back up.

"W-we don't know Eret!" one of the men replied.

"The boat just exploded!"

"It must have been one of those beasts!" Eret stated as he glared at the dragons.

"Impossible, their restraints forbid them from firing any sort of blast," another commented.

"Well it certainly wasn't from any Viking! There are no other Vikings for miles!" Eret shouted.

That's when it happened again! Another boat exploded and more debris fell onto the men. The flames touched the sky as they danced on the destroyed boat. One piece of wood managed to hit Eret on the head which sent him back on the ground. He groaned in pain, some of the men saw this and ran towards him leaving the dragons unguarded.

Hiccup and Toothless flew close to the water and rocks as they watched they watched the boats burn slowly.

" **Nice job Toothless,"** Hiccup commented.

" **Hey they don't call me the 'Unholy Offspring of Lightening and Death Itself' for no reason my brother. Now let's get to those dragons!"**

" **Let's do it! But first we need to stun some of the men!"**

" **No problem!"** Toothless replied.

The Night Fury and human flew high into the sky with great speed. Toothless readied another blast, one that aimed for the men.

Eret rubbed his head and he saw that blood started to leak out his wound. Some of the men were around him asking if he was okay and just when he was about to answer he heard something in the sky. He looked up and what he saw made his heart skip a beat. He thought that the hit to the head was messing with his mind as he saw a Night Fury in the sky… with a human! The very same human he had come across several years ago.

"It… it can't be," he whispered.

He didn't have time to react as another blast hit the ground sending several of the men flying. They hit the ground hard leaving some unconscious and others struggling to regain their senses. That's when the Night Fury came flying towards him!

Toothless was about to fire his blast when Hiccup caught sight of one of the men. Over the years he had seen many faces of Vikings both male and female with only a handful that he remembered. This was one of those moments. His eyes widen as he recognized the man that sat on the ground with an injury on his head. It was the man that had worked alongside Drago! The man who declared that he and his brother were their prisoners. He clutched onto his brother tighter as Toothless fired his attack onto the crowd.

" **Toothless are you seeing what I see?"** Hiccup asked.

He hoped that his brother would see what he saw. Toothless gave Hiccup a questionable look before seeing where his brother's gaze was at. He gasped as he recognized the man on the ground with the bloody wound.

" **It can't be…"** Toothless said.

" **But it is,"** Hiccup responded. **"We shouldn't be surprised that** _ **he**_ **is behind all of this."**

There was an emphasis on the "he" part of Hiccup's statement. Toothless's green eyes became filled with hatred as he remembered who Hiccup was talking about. They should've known though, something of this magnitude screamed the name of Drago Bludvist.

" **What do you say we give him a little welcome to the neighborhood gift?"** Toothless asked.

The Night Fury gave his brother a sly smile to which Hiccup returned.

" **Normally I say no but I guess there can be expectations to that rule,"** Hiccup replied. **"Let's chase these vermin out of here."**

" **With pleasure,"** Toothless declared.

He flew downward and landed right in front of the injured man. As they did so the man looked at them with the same realization as they did. The brothers knew that he knew who they were. After all these years he still remembered them. And he was powerless to stop them as the men were either injured or unconscious.

" **He remembers us."** Hiccup stated playfully.

" **We are honored,"** Toothless added with a smile.

"You… and you!" Eret exclaimed as he stood up. "After four years you reappear like this! Wait until Drago hears about this!"

At the sound of that name Toothless growled and swung his tail to knock Eret off his feet. Eret was on the ground once again, he glared at the two. Hiccup opened his mouth and spoke in the tongue he rarely used.

"You don't belong here!" Hiccup "You need to leave immediately!"

"So you can still speak in both tongues," Eret commented "As if I listen to you, after all these years you're still just a child!"

He lunged towards them. Toothless jumped into the air with Hiccup on his back which caused Eret to trip on the ground. Toothless landed on the other side of him with a mocking smile.

"I can see why you're not the leader now," Hiccup said. "Can't keep your wits long enough to actually do something useful."

Hiccup jumped off his brother's back but Toothless acted as his guard as he did so.

"How dare you insult me, Eret son of Eret!" Eret exclaimed.

"Eret son of Eret huh? And here I was expecting something more threatening or formal," Hiccup responded with a sarcastic tone in his voice. "I mean with a boss like Drago I would assume he would choose someone a little more fitting to be his second-in-command."

Toothless couldn't help but chuckle at his brother's insult but he agreed with his brother. Eret glared at them, they were mocking him and right in front of his face too!

"Now as much as we would like to stay and chat I'm afraid we have some work to do," Hiccup said as he got closer to the man. "Free those dragons!"

Eret knew that the boy was referencing the key to unlock the dragons' restraints; he couldn't afford to make another mistake especially when Drago was not there. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of beating him.

"Dragons? What dragons?" Eret asked. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Hiccup gave him an annoyed look, did he honestly think he could fool them at this point. They had seen what they were doing and they knew what their intentions were. Normally he didn't like to resort to violence or threats but he didn't have time to mess around. He needed to free those dragons and return home as soon as possible with them.

"Let me rephrase that," Hiccup stated and then he snapped his fingers.

Toothless smirked at this signal and stepped forward. Eret now had a nervous look on his face as he saw the Night Fury stepped closer to them. After all there was a reason why Night Furies had the reputation that they were known for. In a flash the Night Fury pounced on Eret tackling him to the ground using his paws. His green eyes looked more cat-like as he let out a loud roar effectively scaring Eret as he screamed and used his arms to shield his face.

Eret thought he was done for when the Night Fury roared but once he saw that his body and face were still intact. However, he saw that the dragon was still on top of him and still looked as if it ready to kill him. The look in the dragon's eyes sent shivers down his spine. That was when the boy took a step forward.

"Have you changed your mind?" Hiccup asked.

Eret's face became full of anger at the comment, he tried to sit up but the Night Fury would push him back down with his paw. The dragon also growled at him.

"I-I'll never give in to you," Eret stuttered. "Those dragons are property of Drago Bludvist!"

That comment struck a nerve for the brothers, Hiccup was not one to get angry at anyone nor was he one to hate others but as he grew older he found it almost impossible to not have these feelings for others. Right now he hated these people and he hated the man they worked for. He hated how they made dragons suffer and how they thought that they could do whatever they wanted. He was snapped out of his thoughts as he heard the cries of the chained dragons. He turned to see them struggling with their restraints, that's when he remembered why he and his brother were there in the first place. He turned back to Eret.

"Well if you're going to be stubborn about it then I guess there's only one other option," Hiccup stated as he turned to Toothless. "Toothless you want to go for a flight with more than one passenger on board?"

Toothless gave his brother a puzzled expression; Hiccup's eyes looked at Eret then back to him. A sly smirk appeared on his face and he wasted no time in grabbing Eret's collar at the back. Eret let out a gasp and Hiccup quickly jumped onto his brother's back. They then took off into the air but not high enough where the rest of the men couldn't see them.

Some of men finally regained their sense as they struggled to stand up; once they did they saw that Eret was being attacked by a Night Fury! And there was a teenage boy standing next to them. They glared at the teenage boy and took out their weapons. Just when they were about to help Eret the Night Fury grabbed their second-in-command and took off into the sky with the boy on his back. They looked up to see Eret struggling to be put down. They readied their weapons until one of the man stopped them.

"Don't do it you'll hurt Eret!"

"But the Night Fury and the boy, we can't let them get away!"

"We need Eret!"

Although Eret was not as strong or as handy with a weapon as the others were at the same time there was a reason why Eret was second-in-command. He was good at what he does and that was trapping dragons. He was the expert as well as the one to go to when you needed any information on any sort of dragon. Losing him at this point would prove to be a loss. The men lowered their weapons and waited to see how Eret would get out of this one.

Meanwhile Eret continued to struggle in the dragon's jaws, grunting every time he tried to loosen the Night Fury's hold.

"I wouldn't struggle so much if I were you," Hiccup commented.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Eret said. "Put me down at once!"

"Oh we'll put you down… right after you free those dragons"

"Never!" Eret exclaimed.

Hiccup looked at his brother and nodded his head. Toothless nodded back and suddenly he released Eret sending the man falling through the air. Eret screamed as he fell.

"Eret!" the men called out.

They scrambled to try and catch Eret but were surprised when the Night Fury caught him only to fly back up to where they were before. Eret had never felt like that before, his heart raced as he was back up into the sky. His lungs were hurting due to his screaming while he was falling. He was gasping and panting at the same time, struggling to regain his composure.

"Ready to stop being so stubborn?" Hiccup asked.

"N-no!"

"Your choice," Hiccup commented as he looked at Toothless.

The Night Fury once again released Eret; he was falling to the ground again. He let out another ear piercing scream while the men let out a series of gasps. The brother waited until Toothless flew down on grabbed Eret behind his collar again. They flew back up.

"How about now?" Hiccup questioned.

Eret panted a little, sweat mixed with his blood and his lungs hurt even worse than they did before. He was about to respond until Hiccup said something else.

"Next time won't be a repeat," Hiccup warned. "And if you refuse to corporate then we will move on to the next person and then the next person and then the next person.

His voice was serious enough to send chills down Eret's spine; he didn't think that a person like the boy in front of him could be so threatening.

 _He means to end this one way or another whether or not he gets the dragons_

He clutched his hands into fists; he knew he was going to regret this. He knew he would be punished but at the same time he didn't know which fate was worse: dealing with Drago or dealing with a Night Fury and his friend. He knew what a Night Fury was capable of, he knew their power and there was a reason why they had the reputation that they did. He knew it all very well and it was for that reason that he didn't know what to do. No matter what he did he wasn't going to win, he would have to face Drago's wrath no matter what. After all he allowed some of the ships to be damaged and some of the men to be injured all because he didn't think to know that there could have been enemies around him. That was something Drago never made the mistake of doing; he was almost always prepared and almost always knew his surroundings. Unlike him, he would be punished for his ignorance and cockiness. On the other hand he would be punished for all of that and letting the dragons get away and it would only get worse once he revealed who was the one who coaxed him into doing so. Oh yes Drago Bludvist did remember the boy and his Night Fury, he spoke about it often… almost every day. It served as a reminder as one of the very few mistakes Drago allowed to happen. A mistake that came from not being prepared and for not knowing his surroundings.

He just couldn't win. However, he only saw one thing that may grant him some mercy from his leader and that was telling him about the Night Fury and his owner. After all these years Drago would know that the two were still alive and still remembered them. Maybe just maybe it would work. After all he had been through today he was willing to take the risk.

He let out a sigh and his attention turned to the men.

"Men!" Eret addressed. "Release the dragons!"

"What?"

"You can't be serious!"

"Drago will have our heads!"

"Have you gone mad!"

"Stop complaining and just do it!" Eret yelled. "Do it now or else this Night Fury will just end up taking us all down!"

The men's eyes widen at that realization, they hadn't thought about it like that before. Face Drago or a Night Fury? Certainly not a situation they had counted on being in. But Eret had given the order; they discarded their weapons and took out the pairs of keys needed to open the cages and restraints. They went inside the fort and one by one started to release the dragons. They all came walking out and they stretched out their wings, they were about to hit of some of the men until a voice called out to them.

" **Don't do it!"** Hiccup exclaimed.

The dragons turned their attention to their saviors, they didn't know it though. But they were all shocked to see that a human was speaking their language. Eret couldn't help but be shocked as well as the men. Even though they had heard him do it before it was still surreal to them. Hearing it again was something out of this world.

" **The Vikings are letting you go!"** Hiccup said. **"My brother and I have a place where you can go to, a safe haven for dragons!"**

" **Your brother?"** a Hobblegrunt questioned. **"You mean the Night Fury?"**

" **A Night Fury and a human? I've never seen such a thing before in my life,"** a Snafflefang commented.

" **The human can speak dragonese?" Impossible!"** a Scuttleclaw added.

" **Please listen to me, I know that I am a human but I was raised amongst the dragons in a place known as the Dragon Sanctuary. My brother and I have spent years looking for dragons in order to show them our home,** Hiccup explained. **"If you follow us we will show you it and you can have a place to call home too."**

" **How do we know that we can trust you?"** a Timberjack asked as he nuzzled his mate.

" **Because we are holding the second-in-command of this group of Vikings,"** Hiccup replied. **"Their leader is a man by the name of Drago Bludvist-"**

" **Drago Bludvist?"** a Woolly Howl interrupted Hiccup. **"That madman is responsible for this?"**

" **We can't possible survive with a man like that out here!"** a Tide Glider said as it put a wing around its young.

" **We should have known he was behind all of this,"** a Grapple Grounder commented. **"That's what the Vikings meant!"**

" **What?"** Hiccup questioned. **"What do you mean by that?"**

" **Hiccup!"** Toothless said through his clenched jaws. **"We have to hurry!"**

" **Oh right please follow us!"** Hiccup stated. **"We promise you that no harm will come to you if you do."**

The dragons looked at each other and then back to the men, they didn't have much of a choice in the matter. They wanted to be free and safe… away from the Vikings. If there was any chance that there was a haven out there for them then they were not about to waste it. They merely nodded their heads and they took off into the air. They flew to the brothers, that was when Hiccup nodded at Toothless to put Eret down. Toothless looked annoyed at the command but nevertheless he wanted to get of there as soon as he could. He flew down and placed Eret gently on the ground.

"Never come back," Hiccup said.

With that the brothers were in the air again. That was when the men gathered their weapons and started to throw them at the dragons. Hiccup let out a grunt of annoyance. He had enough for one day.

" **Toothless destroy the fort!"** Hiccup stated.

" **We'll assist you!"** the Hobblegrunt said.

" **Count me in!"** the Timberjack added.

" **And us!"** the other dragons said.

Toothless and Hiccups smiled at this notion.

" **Aim for the fort, that will show them!"** Toothless said.

All the dragons readied their attacks towards the one target.

" **Ready?"** Hiccup asked.

They nodded their heads in agreement.

" **Fire!"** Hiccup exclaimed.

Suddenly the dragons let out their attacks and they all hit the fort, sending it into pieces. Fire erupted and the men were knocked to the ground from the large attack. Eret was thrown off balance once again and he took the opportunity to glare at Hiccup and Toothless.

"This isn't over! It will never be over!" Eret yelled. "You have not heard the last of us!"

" **Somehow I believe that,"** Hiccup whispered. **"And we'll be waiting."**

With that the dragons and human flew higher into the sky and traveled to the Dragon Sanctuary. As they traveled Hiccup could hear the sounds of the men trying to put out the fire but he could tell they were not having any luck with it. To be honest Hiccup was never planning on killing Eret, scare him maybe, but not kill him. He could never bring himself to kill another living being whether that being was a dragon or human. He couldn't do it; it was not in his nature. Even if he was raised by dragons and had seen how they lived he still couldn't do it. He had seen that Vikings were the same way in the way they lived. Both species needed to kill in order to survive. If he had been raised amongst; the Vikings like he was supposed to he wondered if he would still be the same. He wanted to believe he would but he would never know for sure. Sixteen years of being raised by a dragon father and brother proved that.

Ironically Hiccup guessed that he could never call himself a true Viking or dragon… he didn't belong to neither group. It made him wonder even more just what the future held for him. Well one thing was for certain he couldn't wait to get home.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 24**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 **Hi everyone, as I have said before in the last chapter that that I have posted two new chapters. This is the second one. Thank you all and enjoy! XD**

It was late. That much was obvious and the brothers smiled once they saw the Dragon Sanctuary come into view. Their home and soon to be these new dragons home as well. They got closer to the hidden entrance.

"Alright everyone follow us and pay attention to the path," Hiccup said.

The dragons nodded their heads and prepared themselves to see their new home. They hoped that it was as wonderful as the human made it out to be. With that Toothless flew right into the opening in the sanctuary with the other dragons following his lead. They traveled through a strange pathway before they entered the main area of the Dragon Sanctuary.

Even thought it was late in the day the beauty of the haven shined through with a wide spread of food, lush grass and vegetation, multiple water springs and… dragons! They saw that they attracted the attention of the dragons that were still out and about, they were greeted with smiles and roars of joy. They landed gently on the ground and Hiccup immediately got off his brother's back.

The new dragons saw a large group of their own kind gather around the boy and the Night Fury. They watched as a Stormcutter, a Raincutter and a Deadly Nadder make their own through the crowd. The boys looked happy to see the trio for some reason. The Stormcutter spread his wings and a big smile appeared on his owl-like face.

"Dad!" the boys exclaimed in unison.

" **My sons!"** Cloudjumper responded.

 _ **Dad?**_

 _ **Did they address the Stormcutter as their father?**_

 _ **And did he call them his sons?**_

These questions ran through the dragons' minds as they watch the Stormcutter wrap his wings around the boys. He nuzzled them before licking their faces.

" **Dad! Not in front of the other dragons,"** Hiccup whined even though he was still smiling.

" **We've gone over this already my son, as your father I have the right to embarrass you,"** Cloudjumper proudly stated.

" **Yeah but do you have to do it all the time?"** Toothless asked.

" **No only when other dragons are around,"** Cloudjumper said with a smug smile on his face.

" **I knew we got our dry sense of humor from somewhere Toothless,"** Hiccup commented.

" **Hiccup that makes way too much sense,"** Toothless replied.

The small family shared a laugh before the dragons saw the Raincutter and Deadly Nadder stepped next to them.

" **Hello boys,"** Clawdia greeted.

" **Hi Aunt Clawdia,"** they answered in unison.

" **Don't forget about me boys,"** Stormfly added.

" **I could never forget a pretty face like you Stormfly,"** Toothless said as he purred a little at the sound of her name.

Stormfly blushed at Toothless's comment making the father of two give his son a playful glare. Even though his sons were on their way to adulthood he wasn't ready to let go just yet… especially when it came to a girl he had considered as a niece as the years went by ever since his sons rescued her.

" **Don't worry Uncle Cloudjumper I won't steal your son from you,"** Stormfly reassured. **"Yet."**

She whispered that last part but the Stormcutter had heard it.

" **I heard that,"** Cloudjumper said.

" **Busted, you two lovebirds,"** Hiccup commented.

" **Says breaker of Viking women hearts,"** Toothless teased.

Hiccup's face brighten with blush.

" **I keep telling you she's not my girlfriend,"** Hiccup said.

" **Darn right she's not his girlfriend,"** Cloudjumper responded. **"No son or sons of mine will be dating anytime soon."**

" **Oh Cloudjumper don't be so formal, I'm sure when you were their age you were chasing after plenty of girls."**

That comment made Cloudjumper blush this proving Clawdia's statement to be true.

" **Busted,"** the brothers said in unison.

" **I have to agree with Aunt Clawdia on this one Uncle Cloudjumper,"** Stormfly commented.

The Stormcutter shook his head but laughed anyway. That was when Hiccup and Toothless remembered the dragons they had brought home. They left their father's embrace and walked to them.

" **Everyone welcome to the Dragon Sanctuary,"** Toothless stated. **"Your new home."**

" **And the home of many dragons of your species,"** Hiccup added.

They dragons looked around and saw that the human wasn't lying. The Snafflefang stepped forward with her mate and children.

" **Is it true?"** she asked. **"The Stormcutter is your father? Both of you are his sons?"**

The new dragons whispered amongst themselves about the strange family. That was when Cloudjumper stepped next to his sons.

" **I am not their blood father but I don't have to be in order for them to be my sons,"** Cloudjumper firmly stated. **"I have raised them ever since they were little hatchlings until now, I am in every right their father just as they are my sons in every right."**

" **He speaks the truth,"** Clawdia confirmed. **"Toothless and Hiccup are his sons."**

" **But the human he speaks dragonese,"** the Woolly Howl commented. **"How is that possible?"**

" **We not entirely sure why he can either,"** Cloudjumper replied. **"He's been able to understand and speak dragonese ever since he was a hatchling. He has also been able to speak the language of the Vikings. We can call it nothing but a gift. A gift that has saved many dragons over the years."**

" **It's true,"** Stormfly said. **"The boys saved me and another group of dragons' years ago from a Viking village."**

The group of dragons looked shocked over what the father of two and the young Deadly Nadder said. None of them had ever heard of a human being raised by dragons or the fact that a human could speak and understand both languages of dragon and human.

" **We welcome you all here with open hearts, once you've settled down a bit you will be assigned to the nests of your species. There you will have plenty of room for your families and yourselves as well as plenty of food and other resources,"** Clawdia stated. **"Until then you are all free to roam about and take a good look at the Dragon Sanctuary."**

" **How has this place been here?"** the Tide Glider questioned.

" **It has been around for quite some time now; it was here before these boys were born. This haven was set up by the Alpha himself... the king of the dragons,"** Cloudjumper answered.

At the sound of that title the dragons let out a series of gasps.

" **The Alpha is here?"**

" **Yes, he resides in the very middle of the sanctuary. It was him who agreed to let Hiccup stay here and live amongst our kind."**

The new dragons looked shocked once again, if the Alpha himself agreed to let a human be raised with their kind then they knew that they were right to follow the brothers.

" **So will you all stay here?"** Toothless asked.

The dragons looked at each other and then back to the young Night Fury. They already knew their answer even before they got there.

" **Yes,"** they answered in unison.

" **Great,"** Hiccup replied. **"Once you get settled into your new nests the leaders of those nests will inform you about the rules here."**

" **What kind of rules?"** the Hobblegrunt asked.

The brothers let out a sigh, not because they were annoyed with the questions but because they would have to explain the reason for why the rules existed in the first place. Nevertheless they knew that it had to be done. Hiccup cleared his throat.

" **Years ago my brother and I started searching for dragons to bring back to the sanctuary. As Stormfly said we've even had to resort to rescuing them from Viking villages. However, during one of our breaks we went flying to an uninhabited island we made a habit of visiting during these breaks. There we were captured by a man named Drago Bludvist,"** Hiccup explained. **"I assume you all know who that is judging by your reactions to the sound of his name back when we were still in that fort."**

" **Honestly there isn't a dragon now these days who hasn't heard of the name of Drago Bludvist before,"** the Timberjack said as he held his family close.

" **He's made that much of a name for himself huh?"** Toothless questioned.

" **Oh you have no idea,"** the Grapple Grounder added. **"He takes dragons and let's just say they're never heard from again… both young and old have been captured by him. When we were in those cages, I heard one of the men say that there were more locations like the one we were at with more dragons and forts. He didn't say where though."**

" **What?"** Toothless and Hiccup exclaimed in unison.

" **There's more?"** Stormfly asked.

The Night Fury's eyes changed back to their more cat-like state and he growled. Hiccup couldn't help but share his brother's disposition at the moment.

" **So that's what Eret meant when he said that it wasn't over,"** Hiccup commented. **"That's because there's more of those forts… that means that there will be more dragons being captured then."**

" **It also begs the question of many dragons they have already Hiccup,"** Toothless added.

" **I know bud, I know,"** Hiccup said. **"It seems like no matter how hard we try there are still more dragons out there that need our help. It's like we can't get to them all."**

" **You know that was the chance we were going to have to accept when we first started doing this Hiccup. When it all comes down to it we're only a force of two: a Night Fury and a human."**

Hiccup sighed at that thought, although he had told himself years ago that he and Toothless would be the hope for both human and dragon kind it seemed like that hope was slowly fading away. He was normally an optimistic person but there just didn't seem to be a way that they could get around this obstacle. They couldn't attack every single fort by themselves, they didn't even know where they were in the first place and they didn't know just how many men Drago had. They couldn't do it alone… alone…

" **Alone…"** Hiccup whispered. **"That's it!"**

" **What's it my son?"** Cloudjumper asked.

" **We need a team!"** Hiccup declared. **"A team that will help us raid those forts and break all of those dragons free."**

" **That does sound promising,"** Toothless admitted.

That's when Hiccup remembered thing.

" **The only problem is** **who can we get to agree to such a task?"** Hiccup questioned. **"I mean this is going to be dangerous even by our regular standards."**

" **I'll go!"** Stormfly exclaimed.

" **Stormfly?"** Toothless questioned. **"You?"**

" **Yeah why not? I mean I've seen how you boys went about saving me and the others I'm sure I could do it too,"** she stated. **"I would have to ask permission from the leader of my nest but I'm sure he'll agree once we've explained the situation to him."**

" **Stormfly are you sure?"** Cloudjumper said. **"Remember you were injured by Vikings when you first met the boys."**

" **Yes I'm sure. I want to help my kind too,"** Stormfly reassured. **"I want to help my friends in their quest for peace."**

The two older dragons looked at the Deadly Nadder and saw the determination in her eyes.

 _ **She's serious about this. Knowing her she won't stop until she gets what she wants, my sons could use her assistance though.**_

" **Very well you may go after you get permission from your nest leader as well as the King, he will need to approve of this idea my sons,"** Cloudjumper stated.

" **We know Dad, will do so right now,"** Toothless said. **"In the meantime you all go have a look around and rest. Like Aunt Clawdia says your nest leaders will be with you all shortly."**

" **Thank you boys, for everything… I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that,"** theScuttleclaw responded.

The dragons bowed down to them before they parted to see their new home leaving the small family together.

" **I hope you boys know what you're doing,"** Clawdia said.

" **So do we Aunt Clawdia,"** Hiccup replied.

" **Only time will tell though,"** Toothless added.

The boys contemplated their next move once this was all over. Knowing that the impending danger was only increasing with every minute that passed by.

 **Who will be a part of this new team? Some familiar faces that's for sure… tune in next chapter to find out!**

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 25**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 **It's been a little over a year since this fanfic was created, my first fanfic! XD I'm so happy to see that everyone is still reading it after all this time! Thank you everyone and enjoy the chapter! :)**

" **And that us why Toothless and I want to start a team your majesty,"** Hiccup stated as he was bowing down to the Alpha dragon.

Every dragon and the human had gathered around the head of dragon kind, they had heard the news of Hiccup wanting to speak to the king about an important matter concerning the Drago Bludvist situation. They had heard that the brothers were interested in making a team of dragons that would assist in taking out the forts that had been established to capture and hold dragons. They waited to see what the King would say and if he agreed then they wondered which dragons would be part of the team.

" **I see,"** The Bewilderbeast replied. **"And this Drago Bludvist is becoming more known in the dragon community?"**

" **Yes King,"** Toothless said. **"If we don't do something now more dragons will be captured and there's no doubt that some will be killed as well. This Drago is a human that is a force to be reckoned with."**

There were mutters amongst the dragons, they all agreed with the brothers. Something had to be done about the matter or else more dragons would suffer… dragons both inside the sanctuary and outside of it. The King looked at his fellow dragons and then back at the brothers. Toothless and Hiccup were still bowing down to the Bewilderbeast with looks of determination in their eyes. They wanted to do this… they needed to do this. They wanted to protect their family, friends and home. The King gave a nod and spoke up.

" **Very well, you may start a team to get rid of these forts,"** he stated. **"But the dragons need to volunteer out of their own will. Whoever wishes to assist you in this mission shall be granted permission from both me and the leader of their nests."**

Hiccup and Toothless smiled at the King's statement, they were glad that he agreed with them. But now they needed to worry about who would volunteer to help them. They stood up from their positions and looked at the crowd of dragons. Some looked hesitant to volunteer but the brother couldn't blame them for it. After all this would not be an easy mission to accomplish. Stormfly then walked over to the brothers and stood beside them, she already made up her mind about helping them and now that she had gotten permission from both the Alpha and her nest leader she would stop at nothing to help them. Suddenly another familiar looking face came forward, it was Hookfang. He was one of the dragons that the brothers had saved when they saved years ago when they saved Stormfly.

" **I shall volunteer,"** he stated. **"I refuse to let anyone hurt my fellow dragons or destroy the home I have built with my family."**

Indeed, Hookfang became a father to a second group of hatchlings not too long ago with his mate Whipslash. The brothers understood why he wanted to help; the Monstrous Nightmare took pride in his new life at the sanctuary and the family he started there. It was something he never got the chance to do before coming to the sanctuary. He was not about to let anyone destroy that especially not a man like Drago. He walked to the brothers and bowed.

" **I will assist you with this mission you two,"** he said.

" **Thank you Hookfang,"** Hiccup replied.

" **It means a lot to us,"** Toothless added.

Hookfang nodded and smiled, he then walked beside Stormfly and waited to see if any other dragons would come forward. That was when a Hideous Zippleback came forward along with one Rumblehorn and one Thunderdrum. The brothers recognized the Hideous Zippleback named Barf and Belch, the Rumblehorn was Skullcrusher and the Thunderdrum was Thornado. The last two were dragons that Hiccup and Toothless had known since their youth. They were close friends of their father and aunt as well, the two were known for their strength and power. The brothers knew that they would make excellent additions to the team.

" **We will help too,"** Barf said.

" **So shall we,"** Skullcrusher stated.

This made the brothers smile again as the dragons walked beside them. Finally, the last volunteers were a Gronckle by the name of Meatlug and a Terrible Terror named Sneaky. They was had smiles on their faces as they saw the group of dragons and human standing before them. They nodded their heads and spoke to them.

" **I will help as well, after all you're going to need all the help you can get to take down these Vikings,"** Meatlug said. **"Let's teach those Vikings a lesson that they won't forget."**

" **Hey they don't call me Sneaky for nothing, time to put it to good use,"** Sneaky added.

With that she walked to the group. All together they had gotten eight more dragons to help; Hiccup decided that would be enough since too many dragons would bring the disadvantage of not having the element of surprise. Not to mention they wouldn't be able to keep track of a large group of dragons when they were busy fighting. He knew that their father and aunt wanted to come with them as well but the brothers ultimately decided that they should stay here. After all in the sanctuary Cloudjumper and Clawdia were two of the few dragons others looked up to and listened to as well. They kept the order around here whenever the brothers were gone, not to mention having them around would only distract the brothers when they needed to concentrate on the goal. Hesitantly, they both agreed to stay behind and look after things while they were away as they always did. Hiccup then turned to the Alpha dragon as did Toothless.

" **We have our team your Highness,"** Hiccup stated. **"We are ready now. We shall start the mission in one week, that way we can plan and be prepared."**

The Bewilderbeast merely nodded his head in agreement he then lifted his front claws, he placed them both gently on the heads of the brothers. He then blew a little bit of ice over them as well as the other dragons, Hiccup and Toothless shivered a little bit as did the other dragons but they allowed for it to happen. Something like this was an honor amongst the dragon community; it was the blessing from the Alpha dragon himself. The King finished giving his blessing and removed his claws from the boys' heads. He then nodded one more time before returning to his nest. The brothers chuckled as they shook off the snow and ice that was on them as did the other dragons. The brothers walked to their father and their aunt, Cloudjumper stretched out his wings to hug them. Toothless and Hiccup hugged their father and it wasn't long before Stormfly and Clawdia joined the hug. After a few seconds they broke their hug and the dragons returned to their nests and waited for the week to pass. Stormfly followed her fellow Deadly Nadders as Clawdia followed her fellow Raincutters. The brothers and father walked back to their nest. They rested and ate their meals before falling asleep.

The next day passed and the brothers went on with their usual routine of checking over the dragon hatchlings and making sure the newcomers were settling in fine. As they did they did so the thought of raiding and destroying the forts came into their minds. They remembered that there was a time where they made it their goal to avoid Drago Bludvist and his men at all costs and now they were determined to go up against him and fight. They found it ironic that they put themselves in a situation that they didn't want to be in the first place. However, if there was one thing life taught them after sixteen years of living it was that there were always surprises when growing up. After all they didn't set out to be dragon rescuers nor did they set out to bring Vikings and dragons together. But somehow life gave them these opportunities. They couldn't help but wonder who would be in their footsteps if not them, had they not been born what would have happened? So many questions like this would linger in their minds and they would never get an answer no matter how hard they looked. They wondered if they would ever get an answer as to why it had to be them. But as long as it was them then they would not complain and accept their destinies as brothers and as friends.

The next day passed as well and then another day passed and then another until finally it was time for them to begin.

During the last week Hiccup and Toothless would gather their team together and talk about strategies that would aid them in tackling the task at hand. They went over ways to avoid attacks and how to sneak behind enemy lines. They also went over how their abilities put them at an advantage especially when it came to the element of surprise. The brothers also made sure to tell their friends just so capable and strong Drago's men were and that if they should ever run into the man himself do not confront him alone. That was the one rule: never confront Drago alone.

" **Everyone all set?"** Hiccup questioned even though he already knew the answer.

" **Yes!"** the dragons said in unison.

Hiccup was just about to climb onto his brother's back until he was stopped by familiar voices.

" **Hiccup wait!"** Cloudjumper and Clawdia shouted.

The forms of their father, aunt and several other dragons they had come to know came running forward such as Aquajaw, Bumper, Scorcheye, Smallfry, Crystalscale and Irontalon. The brothers were shocked and surprised to see that their family and friends were coming to them at such a late notice; they wondered what they wanted especially at a time like this.

" **Hey everyone,"** Hiccup greeted. **"Is something wrong?"**

" **No nothing is wrong my son,"** Cloudjumper said. **"We merely want to present you with something before you go on your mission."**

" **We thought that since you're really the only one who doesn't really have any weapons or ways to defend yourself that we help you with that,"** Clawdia added.

Hiccup looked at them with a puzzled expression on his face and then he looked down at himself. It was true though, he really didn't have ways to defend himself he had always relied on Toothless and his intelligence which while did serve him well at the same time brought some problems. He always did wonder if he could use some sort of armor or weapons so he wouldn't be completely useless when it came to saving dragons. He had gone through most of his life wearing a loincloth that grew in length as he got older, it's not that he hated clothes it's just that he saw no reason to wear them. However, during the colder months he would often wear the furs of animals he had managed to take from rescuing dragons. He would also wear a pair of boots his brother had taken for him during one of this rescues. But now seemed like the most appropriate time to start wearing clothes. He knew that the dragons technically had their sort of protection and weapons such as their scales, claws and teeth. Him on the other hand, he had nothing but his wits and wisdom.

" **Well we decided to throw a little something together for you,"** Cloudjumper stated. **"Come here Hiccup."**

Hiccup wasted no time in responding to his father's command, he ran to him and the other dragons. That was when the moved out of the way to show Hiccup something, he let out a gasp at what it was. It was a Viking's armor with a few modifications. Hiccup had seen several Vikings wear similar armor and he became familiar with the terms they used to describe them. It was chest armor with large armbands with talons above the hand openings. There were the boots he used to hear only they had spikes on the sides. However, the biggest thing that caught his attention was the mask like helmet. It looked like Night Fury; it had spines similar to Toothless. Altogether the outfit was covered in black paint; honestly you could tell that the outfit was made to look to that of a Night Fury. Hiccup couldn't believe it; he took several steps forward and touched the armor. Toothless walked behind his brother and saw what had been presented to him.

" **You… where did you get this?"** Hiccup asked.

" **From the dragons here of course,"** Clawdia said. **"Whenever you boys went out on your little rescue missions we were here going out into the outside world in secret and we would collect pieces of armor whenever we could without being caught by the humans. It took sometime though especially when it was decided that there would be curfew here. We made some modifications to the best of our ability."**

" **This armor has been in the process of being created for years now my son,"** Cloudjumper added. **"We were waiting for the right moment for it to be ready and to give it to you. Now seems like that moment."**

Hiccup picked up the helmet specifically and looked at his brother; he saw how the dragons had tried their best to make it look like Toothless. He smiled at the little details they managed to make on the helmet.

" **It wasn't easy to make it look like Toothless you know,"** Aquajaw commented. **"It took some work along with some paint we managed to steal from the Vikings. Smallfry helped with the little details though."**

" **Aw it was nothing,"** Smallfry said in an embarrassed but happy tone

Hiccup chuckled a little as did Toothless.

" **We wanted it to look like a Night Fury because you two are brothers, this armor represents your bond to Toothless as well as your connection to the Dragon Sanctuary,"** Cloudjumper firmly stated. **"Please son put it on; we want to see how it looks like on you before you go."**

The teenage human nodded, he removed his tooth necklace and started to put on the outfit his family and friends had made for him. The last thing he put on was the masking helmet and he placed the necklace back around his neck, finally he was finished. When he was done the other dragons stared in awe at the human. They couldn't believe that sixteen years ago this very same human was a little baby that had been brought in by the Stormcutter named Cloudjumper. Now he was practically grown up and standing before them with the appearance of a dragon or as dragon as he could be.

" **It fits perfectly,"** Hiccup said. **"Thank you everyone."**

" **You're welcome son,"** Cloudjumper responded. **"Now be careful and remember to stay close together, I don't want to lose one or two sons or any of my friends."**

" **Don't worry Dad we'll be careful and we will look out for each other,"** Toothless reassured. **"We always do."**

Cloudjumper smiled and opened his wings to them, the brothers gave their father one last hug before leaving for their mission. Hiccup jumped on Toothless's back and the dragons spread their wings, they were ready.

" **Let's go!"** Hiccup exclaimed.

With that the dragons took off and flew through the tunnels and outside the sanctuary leaving behind the father of the two boys along with some of their friends. Cloudjumper watched as his sons flew away on another mission, only this time they had the company of their friends. He couldn't help but see and understand how much his sons had grown during the last sixteen years of raising them. However, despite this Cloudjumper couldn't help but feel as if the journey ahead would take the boys back to where it all started: Berk. Especially Hiccup. He didn't know how he knew this, he just did. He had a feeling that since destiny had brought Hiccup to him; it would take him away to Berk once again. He only hoped at it wouldn't be today or for a while.

 _ **I know it might sound selfish, but I can't ignore the fact that I have raised Hiccup as my son for sixteen years. But I know that he will one day go back to that place even though he has lived beside us for so long. I only hope that day will be later than sooner.**_

The dragons headed back and hoped for the best for the others, Cloudjumper especially hoped for the best.

The boys and their friends flew across the vast sea as they headed for the area where they had last seen Drago's men. They figured that the other forts had to be somewhere around the area since they knew Drago would like to keep the captured dragons isolated so they wouldn't break out as easily. They made sure to keep a low profile since they didn't want to give any warnings or signs of an attack before they actually did it. Along the way Hiccup couldn't help but admire the armor that had been created for him, armor that made him resemble his own brother. He felt his connection to the dragons strengthen as he wore it; he felt a connection to the home he had called his own for the last years of his life. The home that shouldn't be his and yet it was. Home, that was a word Hiccup knew that didn't or shouldn't apply to him and yet he used it. The reason for this being he typically had two homes, the Dragon Sanctuary and Berk. One he had lived in and the other he never knew. Honestly, ever since his encounter with Drago and his men he couldn't help but feel his soul being torn between his human home and his dragon home. He wanted to stay with the dragons, he really did, but at the same time his encounters with humans have only added to his curiosity of going back to Berk. To see Berk, to see its people, to see his parents… to see Astrid. The girl who he had only met a few times throughout his life and yet he felt a connection to. He didn't understand why that was, maybe it was because she was from the same home as him or maybe it was because he rarely got to interact with other humans that didn't try to hurt him or maybe it was because he never really saw human girls especially ones his age. Whatever the reason he couldn't help but remember and feel connected to her. He honestly hoped that he could see her again one day.

" **Hiccup!"** Toothless called out.

Hiccup snapped out of his thoughts once he heard the sound of his name being called. He looked at his brother.

" **Yeah, what is it Toothless?"** he asked.

" **We're approaching the destroyed fort,"** Toothless replied.

" **Oh, okay start heading down then."**

The dragons obeyed Hiccup as they flew downward but they didn't land, Hiccup wanted to observe the area to see if there was any sign that the men returned to the scene. So far he saw nothing, the fort was still damaged and it looked as if no one had been there since the incident involving Eret and his men. There were also no sign of boats anywhere.

" **Looks as if no one has been here since we rescued the dragons,"** Hiccup commented.

" **Looks like it,"** Toothless said. **"Well if no one has been here we should check the surrounding areas."**

" **That's a good idea bud,"** Hiccup stated. **"Everyone spilt up but stay out of sight and fly lower. Stormfly go with us, Hookfang you're with Meatlug, Sneaky you go with Barf and Belch and Thornado go with Skullcrusher. If you see anything let out a cry of some sort, but only ones that are loud enough for dragons to hear."**

Dragons had sensitive hearing and could hear even the smallest of sounds especially Toothless, since he was a Night Fury and all.

" **It will be my pleasure!"** Stormfly replied.

" **Let's go then,"** Hookfang added.

" **Let's knock some heads,"** Skullcrusher said.

The dragons split up into their designated groups and took off into separate directions. Despite going into different areas they remembered to stick close to the partners they were assigned to. They flew around, hoping to find some sign of Drago and his men. They did this for several minutes until Stormfly saw something out of the corner of her eye. She let out a gasp and gave Toothless and Hiccup a signal to fly lower. The brothers saw what Stormfly had seen and quickly hid, there right in front of them was a ship and what looked to be a camp and a small fort along with Vikings. The two recognized the markings of the flag on the ship and in the camp, it belonged to Drago Bludvist. Hiccup glared from behind his mask but then he removed his mask for a second in order to whistle for the dragons, the others heard the call and quickly flew to the area where they were being called to. The other dragons gasped at the sight of the Vikings, it had been so long since they had seen one or many in one place. It was something they hoped they would never have o deal with again but they promised to help the boys as well as their kind.

" **Alright we have to sneak up on them and find a way to see if they have any captured dragons there, even if they don't we have to ensure that they don't have ways to do so anymore,"** Hiccup stated. **"Sneaky, you think you can check to see if there are any dragons here and if so try to locate the Viking that has the keys but don't try anything yet."**

" **I'm on it, Sneaky to the rescue!"** Sneaky whispered.

The Terrible Terror fly downward and stayed out of sight long enough to enter the Viking camp. The others lost track of him but they knew that Sneaky would be alright. After all, as he said before there was a reason why they called him Sneaky. Hiccup couldn't help but smirk since he recalled that while Terrible Terrors were smaller than the average dragon their size shouldn't fool anyone into thinking that they were weak. On the contrary he had learned that Terrible Terrors made use of their small size, thanks to it they were easier to hide and surprise others. Sneaky was no exception to this idea, one minute he could be in front of you and then the next he could be on the other side of the sanctuary. Honestly, no dragons could understand how he did it. Not even Hiccup knew.

The group waited until Sneaky came back in order to decide the next course of action, the little Terrible Terror finally came back after several minutes. He looked determined as well as nervous.

" **There are a total of twenty men here, most are in the camp but others are in the actually fort itself. There are dragons in there and they're in cages, it looks as if they're about ten dragons in there but it couldn't count properly since they men kept moving back and forth,"** Sneaky said. **"It looks as if the Viking with a scar on the side of his face is the one who holds the keys, I saw him opening and closing the cages. If we're going to break those dragons out we need to get him and he's still in the fort front now."**

" **Thank you for your report Sneaky,"** Toothless replied. **"Okay Hiccup, what do we do now?"**

Hiccup contemplated the situation ah hand and took into consideration of Sneaky's observations. He took a quick peek of the camp once again as well as the fort and ship. He then looked back at the dragons.

" **Alright, we have to spread out,"** Hiccup declared. **"Hookfang, Skullcrusher and Thornado you guys distract the men by attacking the ship since we can't attack the fort just yet, we have to wait until all the dragons are out. Meatlug and Stormfly you both attack the camp; make sure their equipment and tools are destroyed. Barf and Belch and Sneaky you're with Toothless and me, I'll get the cages open while you all get the dragons out. When this is all over destroy the fort entirely, Barf and Belch can do that with their combined attack. Are we clear on what you need to do?"**

" **No problem brother,"** Toothless responded.

" **You can count on us Hiccup,"** Stormfly added.

" **Can't wait to teach those Vikings a lesson,"** Hookfang said.

Hiccup nodded and gave the signal of them to spread out. The dragons did as they were told and Hiccup held tightly onto Toothless while Sneaky hopped on Barf and Belch. They flew to their assigned places…until Hiccup spoke.

" **Now!"** Hiccup stated.

With that Hookfang, Skullcrusher and Thornado attacked the ship by destroying the flags and the equipment on the deck. Stormfly and Meatlug started to knock over objects at the camp and destroyed what was there. Hiccup, Toothless, Barf and Belch and Sneaky dived to the fort and broke their way into it without causing any harm to the dragons.

The men were enjoying their quite day together, they had just brought in a couple of new dragons about two nights ago and they were told to stay where they were until Eret reached them. They had heard about the incident involving a human boy and his Night Fury; it was the same two that had escaped from Drago years ago. Eret had lost the whole cargo of dragons as well as supplies and equipment, Drago wasn't too happy with the news and was about to kill Eret until the man had spoken about the two. Drago spared Eret's life due to the information he provided and it was because of it that they were supposed to stay at the fort. They were told to guard it and watch over it… with their lives if needed. They were eating and just relaxing until a sudden noise caught their attention and the sudden appearance of several dragons! A series of gasps erupted from the men but shock soon turned to terror once the dragons started destroying their ship and camp site. The dragons roared and shot fire at them. They did their best to avoid the dragons while trying to reach their weapons. Unfortunately for them the dragons were breaking and stepping on their weapons while swinging their bodies and tails at them. They didn't even notice the other dragons sneaking behind them to attack the fort.

Hiccup, Toothless, Barf and Belch and Sneaky managed to break into the fort and started to attack the Vikings. Barf and Belch chased them away using their signature attack that only Hideous Zipplebacks' were known for. Barf breathed a large amount of green gas and made sure it only traveled to the men. Belch threatened to ignite the gas using his electric spark; you could hear the sound of the spark as it clicked. Once the men heard it they screamed and started to run past the dragons, they were all too familiar with the Hideous Zipplebacks' ability regarding explosions.

"Run!"

"The beast means to kill us!"

The dragons were startled by the sudden attack on their prison; they didn't know what was happening at the moment. However, they noticed that the men were panicking as the Hideous Zippleback threatened to attack them using an explosion. They couldn't help but cheer as they saw the dragons scare the Vikings off.

The men ran and Sneaky noticed the Viking with the scar on the side of his face, he carefully ran to him and quickly took the keys off his belt. Toothless and Hiccup started to pushed the men out of the way and forced them outside. The Viking's didn't even notice Hiccup as his outfit made him camouflage into the Night Fury's scales. They also didn't have time to react to the Night Fury attacking them; they just wanted to get out when the Hideous Zippleback caused its explosion. Sneaky managed to avoid detection long enough to hop on Hiccup's shoulder. Hiccup saw the small dragon and smiled from behind his mask as he petted the little dragon, Sneaky purred a little before he handed Hiccup the keys that were in his mouth.

" **Thanks Sneaky,"** Hiccup stated.

" **No problem Hiccup, now let's get these dragons out of here,"** Sneaky responded.

" **On it, let's go Toothless,"** Hiccup said.

" **Well you don't have to tell me twice!"** Toothless exclaimed with a hint of excitement in his voice.

Toothless charged towards the first cage and Hiccup quickly unlocked it them moved to the other cages. Once they were all open he got off Toothless and started to unlock the restraints on the dragon. The dragons flinched once they saw him, they saw that he was a human and that's all they needed to be afraid of him. Hiccup noticed this and held up his arms in a peaceful gesture.

" **Relax; I'm not going to hurt you. My friends and I are here to rescue you,"** Hiccup stated. **"Please believe me, we're here to take you back to a place known as the Dragon Sanctuary. It's a safe haven for all dragons."**

" **My brother speaks the truth,"** Toothless said. **"We don't have time to explain the whole story but I'm sure you all think that anything is better at this point than staying as Drago Bludvist's prisoners."**

" **It's true,"** Eruptodon whispered.

" **Anything would be better,"** a Shockjaw confirmed.

" **The kid ain't lying,"** Sneaky added. **"The Hideous Zippleback you see here and I live there, dragons of all species live there."**

The dragons noticed the small dragon on the human's shoulder, they noticed how the dragons weren't afraid to approach this human. They also noticed how the human was dressed to look like a Night Fury, how he spoke dragonese and how the Night Fury referred to him as his brother. They would have asked more questions but they remembered the situation they were in and wanted out of.

" **There's no time for more questions, we have to get you all out of here,"** Hiccup said. **"The others outside can only distract those Vikings for so long.**

Hiccup started to unlock the restraints as quickly as he could while Toothless and Sneaky helped with escorting the dragons out of the fort. Barf and Belch were preparing for the next attack as the dragons were held out. They were preparing to destroy the fort, as soon as the dragons were out of the fort Hiccup nodded his head and that was when Barf filled the fort with the green gas while Belch prepared his spark, they slowly backed out of the fort and they were outside when Belch ignited the gas.

The fort exploded!

The Vikings were knocked on their backs and fronts as the explosions rang throughout the area, the dragons were fortunate enough for this not to happen to them as they flew into the air. Hiccup was on his brother's back, Hiccup watched in satisfaction as the fort was now reduced to ash. He then sat up straight on Toothless's back; he was tall enough for the men to see him.

The men struggled to regain their senses but some were able to see something that amazed and surprised them. First they saw the Night Fury and then what was on its back or rather who was on his back. It was a person wearing strange armor that resembled the Night Fury. They gasped and their eyes widen once they came to the realization that it had been a Night Fury that had escaped Drago's clutches years ago and a Night Fury that had humiliated Eret. But they had been told that the boy he rode with didn't wear such armor or clothes in general expect for a long loincloth and a dragon tooth necklace. But they saw that the person did have a necklace similar to the description around the person's neck.

"It can't be," one of them gasped.

"Is that the human boy then?" another remarked.

"But he's nothing like Drago and Eret described him to be."

Hiccup noticed that they men saw him and he spoke up using his other tongue.

"Leave and never come back!" he yelled. **"Onward dragons!"**

The dragons roared once more before finally taking off leaving behind nothing but ash and destruction. Hiccup had a look of determination behind his mask as they flew. The fact that they had managed to rescue several dragons without anyone getting hurt. He recalled his brother's and his earlier attempts at rescuing when they were younger. He recalled all the scars and cuts on his body from his past experiences. Out of all of them he held two in high regard, the one that was below his bottom lip on the right side of his face and the other was one he had on his arm. The first one was one he accidently received from his father when he was just a baby. It reminded of him of how his journey began and how even as a baby it seemed as if destiny always had a plan for him. The second one was one he received in his first rescue and at Berk of all places, it was when the arrow had penetrated his arm and caused him to faint when he got back home. He knew that it was strange to love the scars like these but at the same time they reminded him of his life so far and how no matter where he turned in his life there was always going to be dragon of some sort there. Not that he minded though, he couldn't imagine his life without them. He also couldn't imagine his life living as a regular Viking or human in general. He was sure that he wouldn't have made a good one though, he was just too different. He wasn't muscular, he wasn't tall, and he wasn't anything relating to Vikings. He would have gone down in history as the first Viking in three hundred years who wouldn't kill a dragon. He was sure he would have had a title somewhere amongst those lines. He was sure that the Vikings wouldn't have appreciated him solely for his intelligence and wits. For some reason that idea hurt him, he wondered what his real parents would have thought of him once they discovered that their son wasn't a true Viking even though he was born to two. He wondered if they would be disappointed in him and ashamed to call him their son. Then again he was sure they would have thought the same thing if the ever discovered what became of him after his father took him away from Berk.

He shook his head several times; he erased those thoughts from his head as he knew that there was going back when it came to the past. That's why it was called the past. Today was today and tomorrow was the future. Despite this deep down a part of him still wandered back to Berk. One day he wanted to go there but he was afraid if that day ever came. He was afraid that should that time come he wouldn't be able to make a choice. To stay with the dragons he had come to love as his own family and friends or live amongst the humans and Vikings he had long forgotten about when he made the choice at six years old. He hoped that he wouldn't have to make the choice since he hoped by that time humans and dragons could live together in peace.

Toothless couldn't help but notice how Hiccup hadn't said a word throughout their flight back home. A part of him wanted to say something but at the same time he didn't want to intrude on Hiccup's thoughts. He figured that he had done so earlier before they made their attack on Drago's fort. He wondered what Hiccup was thinking about; lately he noticed that his dear brother was lost in thought ever since their encounter with Eret and his men. He wondered if that encounter somehow triggered deep desires within Hiccup. Desires that related to seeing his human home or his human parents. He hoped he didn't but somehow he knew he was wrong. He didn't want his brother to leave him and their father and aunt and friends. Was Hiccup questioning these relationships now that he was forced to encounter humans on more than one occasion?

 _ **Hiccup, my brother, I hope you'll always stay by my side just as I will always stay by yours. Even if you were to go back to Berk I will be right there beside you, even if the people there reject me or try to harm or kill me. I will always be right there for you. Human or dragon… it doesn't matter to me you'll always be my brother. The brother who was born a human and yet somehow has the soul of a dragon.**_

Toothless's concentration went back on flying and before they knew it the Dragon Sanctuary was up ahead. Hiccup told the new dragons to follow them carefully through the tunnels; they did so and were welcomed with open wings as the dragons there greeted the newcomers. Hiccup and Toothless were about to go see their father and aunt when Stormfly stopped them.

" **Wait boys!"** she exclaimed.

" **What is it Stormfly?"** Toothless asked.

" **I think I might have something that will interest you, it's something one of the Vikings dropped when Meatlug and I scared them."**

" **What is it?"** Hiccup questioned.

That's when Stormfly picked up his right leg and they saw that her talons were clutched in a way that looked as if she was holding something. She unclutched her talons and out fell out a piece of crumpled paper. Hiccup removed his mask and picked up the paper. He let out a gasp once he saw what it was as did Toothless. Cloudjumper and Clawdia were coming from behind the boys when they saw that their attention was on something else.

" **My sons, is something wrong?"** Cloudjumper asked.

Hiccup and Toothless slowly turned to the two adult dragons; they had smiles on their faces as they did so. In their hands was the way to end find their targets faster. Toothless wrapped Stormfly in a big hug to which she returned while Hiccup continued to hold onto the paper. The smile was still on his face as he showed it to his father and aunt.

It was a map and on it where the locations of Drago's forts.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 26**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 ***I do not own the song "For the Dancing and the Dreaming"**

Astrid was busy training; she was working on her target practice. She threw her axe on the marked part of a tree. She hit it right on the spot; she then pulled the axe out only to throw it at another tree target. She repeated this routine until she started to get tired; she pulled the axe out one last time before she sat down on the grass. She wiped the sweat away from her face before turning her attention back to the axe in her hands. She remembered getting the axe for her birthday when she turned fourteen. She was now sixteen years old and already considered to be one of the best female Vikings on Berk. Yes she had been younger than most when she started training but at the same time she had always been at the top of her generation. She was talented and gifted, that's what the others said about her. She especially felt that she had to be tough now these days. About a couple of months ago her people had started dealing with Drago and his men. She had seen the men for herself and they were anything but trustworthy. Some of the younger ones actually tried to flirt with her much to her annoyance and disgust. That's why she literally had to scare them away by showing them that she was nothing like the good and obedient women they were used to dealing with. She had no interest in gaining any man's love during this time in her life despite the fact that she was old enough to be in a relationship with someone. Normally Vikings liked for their children to be in relationships and get married at a young age since that way they could have children faster and more when the years past. Personally, she didn't want to be one of those women… at least not yet. She still liked her freedom and didn't want to feel like she belonged to a man just because someone told her to. If she was going to fall in love she wanted it to be with a man who respected her and treated her like an equal and not because she was beautiful or for some other romantic mushy reason like that.

Ever since she was little she was used to people not pushing her around or telling her what to do with the exception of her parents and the other adults she respected. The kids her age knew better than to pick a fight with her or to mess with her in anyway. She always remembered having things go her way for these very same reasons. However, there was one person who always managed to elude her and was never afraid of her on the level that the others were. She was talking about the boy she only had met a few times in her life at different ages. She didn't know why her thoughts always went back to him since she didn't know his name or anything for that matter. She simply knew him as the boy with the dragon tooth necklace, with brown hair, captivating forest green eyes and cute freckles. She blushed as she caught herself.

"Astrid get you head out of the clouds!" she exclaimed to herself.

She shook her head several times but she could still feel he face red with blush. She didn't know why the very thought of a boy who was a stranger to her made her feel this way. She didn't understand why she felt such a connection to him especially after all these years. He was the only person who challenged her authority and asked something of her even though she wasn't use to stuff like that happening to her. She remembered the last time she saw him and she also remembered how he had promised her that he would see her again or at least try to see her again. She found him to be weird and yet somehow interesting, her mind was full of questions when it came to the boy. She wanted to know more about him, she wanted see him again even if it only for a little while. The boy who stood up to her, the boy who hadn't given her his name and the boy who tended to disappear into the world.

"Astrid!" a voice called out to her. "Astrid is that you?"

It was a familiar voice too, she stood up and made herself look presentable, it was a voice that was known throughout the village because of her status and kind personality. It was the wife of the chief, Valka. Astrid moved a strand of lose hair away from her face as the wife of the chief walked out of the brush and towards her. She was dressed in her casual clothes with her hair in three braids along with a fur coat that wrapped around her shoulders; she also had a basket in her hands.

"Oh Astrid it is you," Valka commented with a warm smile.

"Hello Valka," Astrid greeted as she bowed a little.

"There is no need to bow Astrid," Valka said in a kind voice. "I was just on my way to collect some acorns for the soup I'll be making tonight; with the chilly weather we've been having lately I figured that it might do some good. Since Stoick is not here at the moment I thought I would surprise him with the soup."

"Yeah that does sound nice," Astrid stated. "May I help you?"

Normally Astrid wasn't into things such as that but she liked the chief's wife, she had always been a kind and gentle person even though she was a Viking. Astrid saw the woman as a motherly figure when her own mother wasn't around. In fact Valka was like a mother to all in the village. Some say it was because of the personal tragedy she had experienced sixteen years ago but it was something that no one should ever mention or talk about.

"If you want, I could use some help with collecting them from the trees," Valka said.

Astrid nodded her head in response, Valka smiled again and motions for her to follow.

"Come along then Astrid."

Astrid followed the gentle figure as they made their way deeper into the forest; they stopped when Valka saw a certain tree that had a multitude of acorns. Valka adjusted the coat she was wearing and held onto the basket she had before started to climb on the lower branches, Astrid rolled up her sleeves despite the cool weather and started to climb as well. She went on a higher branch so she could help with collecting more acorns for Valka. They collected the small objects; they didn't say anything to each other for several minutes until Valka spoke.

"Astrid you're sixteen years old now aren't you," Valka asked.

"Yes ma'am," Astrid replied.

"I see, I was your age when I first met Stoick. He was sixteen as well and he was training to become the next chief of Berk," Valka stated. "I was young back then, a girl who was determined not to fall in love at a young age… but that all changed when I met Stoick, I fell deeply in love with a man who could have had any woman for his wife. I was an awful lot like you Astrid."

Astrid gave her a bewildered look; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. The kind and peaceful Valka was like her? Really? Valka chuckled a little at her expression before continuing with her story.

"I was sixteen when I first met Stoick but it wasn't until the battle we had with an opposing tribe that we finally got to know each other, I fought using only my fists in that battle. After it was over Stoick and I were the only ones left on the battle field, the others had gone back to their camps. It was just us and yet for some reason we didn't feel lonely when we were together. We broke out into song as we looked at the reminders of the battle that had occurred," Valka said. "We even started to dance after we began to sing, the fact that it was just the two of us made the moment even more special. It was then that I knew that I fell in love with Stoick, the headstrong and stubborn future chief of Berk. Not too long after that we were married and Stoick took his rightful place as the chief of Berk."

Astrid listened to the story with interest. She had never heard the whole story about how Valka and Stoick met or married. She only knew that the chief and his wife were a young couple when they got married, which as stated before was not uncommon or looked down upon.

"You fell in love by just singing?" Astrid questioned.

"I know that it might sound strange but yes, Stoick and I barely knew each other before then but love is a complicated thing," Valka responded. "Stoick fell in love with a girl who could defend herself when she needed to as well as defend the people she cared about. I fell in love with a boy who fought to prove that he could protect his home and people. We both saw these traits in each other as we sang a song that was only known to a few people. It's a difficult song to recall and sing."

"Really?" Astrid asked. "What was the song called?"

Valka turned towards the sixteen year old girl and gave her a warm smile.

"It was called 'For the Dancing and the Dreaming' and believe it or not but I still remember how it goes," Valka said. "Every once in a while I sing it to myself when Stoick isn't around. I know that feelings of guilt arise in him whenever he hears it."

Valka turned away and stared at nothing, she fiddled with the acorns him her palms as she did so. A sad and pained look appeared on her face; Astrid stared at the woman and recognized that look. It was a look she had seen on the faces of people who lost a loved one. She understood why the chief felt guilty every time he heard that song. After all, everyone knew the true reason why Stoick continued to fight against the dragons and the true reason why he decided to work with Drago. The reality was that Stoick and Valka had conceived a child together years ago, the child was a boy and the heir to Stoick's position as the chief of Berk. Stoick had started a family with the woman he loved and finally had a child with her. However, one day during a dragon raid their child was taken by a dragon. That dragon flew into the night with the baby in tow and both were never seen again. Needless to say that both Stoick and Valka were heartbroken, their grieving never seemed to end no matter how many years passed. Ever since then no one was allowed to talk about it due to the pain and anguish it brought to the chief and his wife. Astrid's expression held nothing sympathy for the woman. She was only a baby too when their baby was taken from them. She couldn't imagine losing a child like that, she couldn't imagine what she would do had it been her child. Events like this only made her more determined to become stronger and to wait to fall in love. She wanted to become strong before she even thought about becoming a wife and mother; she had to protect those that she loved. After all that was the Viking way.

Tears leaked out of Valka's eyes as she contemplated the past, the pain in her heart returned once she also realized that there was another significance to the age sixteen. Astrid saw this and reached out to her, she placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a concerned look. Valka managed to wipe away her tears long enough to look at Astrid. She placed a hand on Astrid's cheek and gave her a sad yet heartwarming smile.

"You know," she started. "My son would have been sixteen years old right now."

Despite her attempt to hold back her tears they came out anyway. They poured down her face as she thought of her son.

"I wonder… what would he look like? Does he have his father's stubbornness? Does he have my gentleness? Would he be a strong Viking? Would he be a great chief? Would he fall in love? Would he… would he… ever have children of his own?"

And just like that the tears tuned into sobs as Valka gently let go of Astrid's face and placed her palms on her face. She cried and poured her sorrow out as thoughts about her son continued to run through her mind. Astrid gasped a little but didn't hesitate to move onto the branch Valka was on, when she safely made it she wrapped her arms around the crying woman. It was a sight that she became used to seeing during her childhood. She saw Vikings lose their loved ones all because of this war that had been going on between the dragons and Vikings, for hundreds of years it had been like this. She wondered if it would continue for hundreds of more years after she was gone. She wanted this war to end; no matter how hard each side fought it was a losing battle. No one was winning and no one was gaining anything. She didn't see why it had to continue but every time she thought about this she would think about the people who lost something precious to the war. It was people like Valka and Stoick she would think about. She couldn't help but allow a few tears to escape from her eyes, she cried alongside the chief's wife. For in this moment Astrid and Valka both felt helpless about the situation they were born into.

Astrid continued to hold onto Valka as Valka held onto her, they cried until they could cry no more. When it was finally over they just stayed quiet and allowed the calming wind to soothe them. Astrid was about to say something when once again Valka beat her to it, but she was not talking. No, she was singing.

" _I'll swim and sail on savage seas_

 _With ne'er a fear of drowning._

 _And gladly ride the waves of life_

 _If you will marry me._

 _No scorching sun, nor freezing cold_

 _Will stop me on my journey._

Valka fixed the few strands of hair that were in her eyes as she sang; Astrid just sat there and listened. Valka then sat properly but still had one hand on Astrid's hand while Astrid had one on hers.

 _If you will promise me your heart._

 _And love me for eternity._

 _My dearest one, my darling dear,_

 _Your mighty words astound me._

 _But I've no need of mighty deeds_

 _When I feel your arms around me._

As she sang Astrid was beginning to understand why Stoick would feel bad every time he heard the song. So far it dealt with true love and you had to do to get it.

 _But I would bring you rings of gold,_

 _I'd even sing you poetry!_

 _And I would keep you from all harm_

 _If you would stay beside me!_

Those parts' especially caught Astrid's attention; she had said that when she fell in love she didn't want to be for superficial reasons. She wanted to feel and know true love. She didn't want the boy to do great things in order to get her attention; she merely wanted him to give her simple things such as respect and his presence beside her through thick and thin.

 _I have no use for rings of gold,_

 _I care not for your poetry._

 _I only want your hand to hold..._

 _I only want you near me!_

A smile started to form on Astrid's face as the song was nearing the end, a smile was on Valka's face as she continued to sing. She remembered the good times in her marriage to Stoick, she loved the man then and she still loved him now. No matter how difficult he could be at times he still had her heart and that was why she could not find it in herself to leave him after their tragedy sixteen years ago. She couldn't leave him to face the pain alone, instead she choose to be right there beside him. After all, when they married it was to be through thick and thin. She continued with the song.

 _To love and kiss, to sweetly hold!_

 _For the dancing and the dreaming!_

 _Through all life's sorrows and delights,_

 _I'll keep your love inside me!_

 _I'll swim and sail on savage seas_

 _With ne'er a fear of drowning!_

 _And gladly ride the waves of life_

 _If you will marry me!"_

Finally the song was over and Valka seemed more relaxed which made Astrid feel more relaxed. Valka slowly let go of Astrid in order to wipe away the tear stains that were on her cheeks. She then turned to Astrid.

"I'm sorry that you had to see that," Valka said.

"No ma'am, it was no problem. Sometimes you just need to let it all out," Astrid replied. "You can only take so much heartbreak and hurt."

Valka chuckled a little; she admired the teenager that sat before her. She saw so much of herself in Astrid or at least she saw her younger self in the girl. She had become a different person since her time as a teenager, as a wife… and as a mother. She hoped that Astrid would one day fall in love with a good boy who would love her and respect her. Astrid was a strong person and she knew that she would be alright when the time came for her to be married. And hopefully one day Astrid would experience the joys of becoming a mother. Despite her tragedy and heartbreak she still wished for the other girls and women in the village the same hopes. Even though it had only lasted for a little while, she enjoyed being a mother and treasured the memories she had of carrying her son in her womb. She then gave Astrid her full attention in order to tell her something important.

"Astrid, when you fall in love, you will know," Valka said. "You may be confused and you may question it at first but you will know."

Astrid smiled and nodded her head.

"Now let's finish collecting these acorns," Valka added. "And for your generosity and compassion I shall make some soup for you as well."

"Oh Valka you don't need to do that," Astrid said.

"No I insist, please Astrid," Valka stated.

Astrid knew that she couldn't deny a request from a gentle soul like Valka, besides she wanted to ask for a favor from Valka too. Astrid finally nodded her head in agreement to Valka's joy. They finished collecting the small objects for the soup and climbed down the tree, Astrid followed Valka as they made their way back to their home. On their way back Astrid decided to ask for her favor, a favor she hoped Valka would accept.

"Say Valka," Astrid said.

"Yes Astrid?" Valka questioned.

"Do… do you think you could teach me that song?"

Valka looked surprised but it quickly went away and she nodded while smiling.

"It would be my honor Astrid, I will even write it down for you," Valka responded. "But in return I want you to take what I said about love to heart okay?"

"Yes ma'am," Astrid answered.

"Good, that being the case though… Astrid I know that I have no place to ask as it is a personal topic but do you love someone or have someone you hold dear to that extent? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, I was just curious," Valka stated.

That caught Astrid off guard, she thought for a moment. She couldn't give a precise answer but at the same time she felt as if she had one.

"Yeah… I think I do," she responded in a gentle tone.

Valka just smiled and said one more thing before they neared her home.

"You know Astrid," Valka started. "If my son was still here… I would want a strong girl like you to be by his side."

Astrid felt her heart warm and her spirit fly when she heard that from the chief's wife, she felt a sense of pride over being called strong. It was something she worked hard to achieve and now someone was acknowledging that.

 _I wish I had met your son Valka, I wish I could be by his side too._

In the end, Valka made her soup, Astrid got the song and the two women became closer that day. They didn't realize that they so much in common before this and now they felt as if they had a connection. A connection that Astrid couldn't deny felt like the connection she had with the mysterious boy. On her way back to her own home Astrid held a paper that had the words of the song written on it along with a large covered bowl of soup to take to her parents, Valka had made extra not only for her but for her mother and father as well. She had eaten her portion when she was at the chief's home. Along the way Astrid thought about the boy who would have become chief of Berk had the dragon not taken him, she couldn't help but wonder the same questions that Valka had. She remembered the name of the boy, of Stoick's and Valka's one and only child and son. It was name that had been passed down from Stoick's side of the family. It was also a name that no one was allowed to speak or name their own child after.

"His name was Hiccup," Astrid whispered to herself. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III."

Astrid went home and her parents enjoyed the soup Valka had made. She went to her room that night and instead of sleeping she started to memorize the song. She would quietly sing it to herself and try to remember the words. As she sang the song she couldn't help but feel strong emotions running through her. She felt happy, sorrow, anger and regret. She couldn't tell which one she felt the most. For some reason as she sang she thought about boy with the dragon tooth necklace. He was always on her mind now these days and to be honest she kind of liked it that way. Astrid went to sleep and she hid the song's words away in a place only she could find. She fully intended to practice that song and memorize it. She not only wanted it to be written in her mind but she also wanted it to be written in her heart.

Little did Astrid or the people of Berk know that there was war going on outside of their home. The war between a certain sixteen year old and his Night Fury with their dragon friends and the men of Drago Bludvist. They raided and destroyed forts while saving more and more dragons from the madman's clutches. They did so for as long as the forts remained.

What Astrid didn't realize was that it was the very same boy she was thinking about and he was thinking about her too.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 27**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Days had turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. That was so long it took to find Drago's forts and to rescue more dragons from his clutches. The only reason why it took so long was because every time they attacked a fort the men got tougher to surprise and attack. They took more time to plan and to organize, it seemed like Drago and his men were getting more prepared to stop them and to take them down. Some of the team had gotten injured and would have to stay behind only to heal and go back with the others. Hiccup and Toothless themselves had gotten injured a few times as well. They were minor and not life threatening but still the fact that they had gotten injured was all that mattered. During this time Hiccup thought of new ways to fight against the men in order to avoid more injuries and he finally came up with an idea. Using some wood along with leather and a knife he had retrieved from one of his travels into Viking villages he carved a staff. But it wasn't like any other staff he had seen before. He made it to where the staff was hooked shaped on both ends and it also had noise makers. He found that with having a double hooked staff allowed for proper aerial navigation. He had practiced traveling between dragons by attaching the staff to their horns or talons. Toothless and Stormfly were the two common dragons he would practice with, Skullcrusher and Thornado were also great volunteers to have. At some point or another Hiccup had practiced with every species of dragon.

The noise makers were actually a last minute detail he had added, he decided that there was a better way of communicating with them rather than speaking their language. He needed a way to talk to them when he couldn't talk to them and that's where the noise makers came became useful. They allowed for communication even when there was none. This had also been helpful with talking to the captured dragons during their rescue attempts rather than wasting time explaining the situation when they could be escaping.

Hiccup was currently practicing with his staff at his usual training spot at the Dragon Sanctuary; it was an isolated area where only vegetation was at. He practiced hitting and blocking, during these last rescue missions he found himself actually getting involved with fighting against the men. He had to get them away from the dragons and he certainly couldn't rely on his strength especially when trying to fight against men twice his size. He refused to let any of his friends or family die just because he couldn't do anything to protect then. He swung the staff and managed to hit some of the rocks smaller rocks. He swung again and quickly moved to another side to hit some old wood he had piled up for practice. He kept swinging and swinging and hitting all the targets he set up. There was a look of determination in his eyes as he did so, he wanted to protect his community and he wanted to get stronger. He had to or else the ones he loved and cared for would be hurt. He wouldn't let that happen! He swung again and hit another rock.

He panted and wiped the sweat off his forehead, he took a drink some the small puddle of water that was next to the area. He sat on the grass and took several deep breaths. He moved a strand of hair away from his eyes.

" **Now it's time to test the noise makers,"** he said.

He always liked to make sure that the noise makers were sending out the proper signals and communications to the other dragons. He had told the others of his practice time so they wouldn't be alarmed by the sound of the noise makers. He took another deep breath and shook the staff, triggering the sounds. He was calling for his brother and father.

Toothless and Cloudjumper were enjoying a nap in their nest when they herd the familiar sounds of Hiccup's staff. They quickly opened their eyes as they headed for the location Hiccup was at, they remembered that he had told them that he was practicing. They were soon greeted by the sight of their relative shaking his staff as well as moving it around in the air. His eyes were closed as if he had remembered the routine used to call for them. Hiccup opened his eyes to see his brother and father, he smiled at the fact that the staff's noise makers still worked.

" **Hey Dad, hey bud,"** Hiccup greeted.

" **Hello my son, still practicing are we?"** Cloudjumper asked.

Hiccup nodded and sat on a boulder; the two dragons went to him and sat by him. Toothless nuzzled Hiccup's side to which Hiccup responded by scratching his neck. Cloudjumper leaned closer to his sons and nuzzled them as well. The brothers returned their father's affectionate gesture.

" **I have to make sure that the noise makers work,"** Hiccup commented. **"I still have other calls I want to practice."**

" **I'm sure it will work Hiccup,"** Toothless said.

" **Indeed, you've always been smart for someone your age Hiccup,"** Cloudjumper added. **"Ever since you were a small hatchling you always had an open mind to things. I remember when you were only a year old you drew a picture of Toothless and me in the dirt using nothing but a stick. Even though the drawing was a little messy you could still tell what it is. I remember it as if it was yesterday."**

Hiccup smiled and Cloudjumper thought of the actual years it had been.

 _ **When in reality it was about fifteen years ago, you were still a little hatchling. So was Toothless, I remember when you two use to wrestle with each other and hide in impossible places. You both used to give me a heart attack when you did things such as that. And now look at you. Both of you've have grown up so much these last years, both of you are more mature than dragons and humans your age.**_

The Stormcutter had a sad look in his eyes as he turned his attention away from the boys and back onto the ground. Memories such as that only made the thought of Hiccup leaving the Dragon Sanctuary forever harder. Toothless and Hiccup noticed the change in their father's behavior and comforted him. Hiccup placed a hand on his warm scales while Toothless nudged him.

" **Dad?"** Hiccup questioned.

" **Are you okay?"** Toothless asked.

Cloudjumper turned his attention back to the boys and saw how his disposition was affecting them. His expression quickly changed into a warm smile. He wrapped his large wings around the two and cuddled them.

" **I'm fine boys, it's just so wonderful to see that my sons are growing up right before my eyes,"** Cloudjumper said. **"My little boys."**

The brothers playfully pouted at being called that again but they didn't say anything as they returned to the hug. Hiccup went back to practicing and this time Toothless and Cloudjumper watched him as he called for more dragons using his staff. He managed to call some of his friends and thanked them for their participation before they left to go rejoin their families and nests. Hiccup was about to call for another dragon when an idea occurred to him. He looked at his small family.

" **Hey Dad, Toothless,"** he addressed.

" **Yes Hiccup?"** Cloudjumper asked.

" **When I'm done practicing, do you want to go for a flight?"**

It had been long since they had done so especially after the curfew had been set. Dragons normally weren't allowed to do so but dragons were beings that needed to spread their wings every once in a while especially the older ones. Sometimes the older dragons would go outside during the right time just to fly and not collect food or anything. That was really the only exception to the rule. Not only that but Hiccup felt that after all this time of rescuing and fighting that he could use a little break especially his brother. They had been working like crazy to save and protect others that maybe it was time for just a period of relaxation and rest. And what better way to do that while spending time with their father? They hadn't been able to do so during these last months. It warmed Cloudjumper's heart to hear that his son wanted to of something with him after all this time. Toothless started to jump around and flap his wings with excitement.

" **Yes let's do it!"** Toothless cheered. **"We haven't done that in forever!"**

" **I agree,"** Cloudjumper responded. **"We'll do that as soon as you're done practicing but remember we can only stay out there for a little while because of the curfew. As soon as we're done we're coming back home."**

" **I know Dad, don't worry,"** Hiccup said. **"Even if it's only for a little while I still want to do it, these last few months have been crazy to the point where Toothless and I don't really get to rest. If we're not rescuing we're fighting, if we're not fighting we're planning and if we're not planning we're sleeping. There's no time for us to just relax."**

" **I know I feel that way too and maybe it is time that we take a break, even if it's only for a moment,"** Toothless added. **"Hurry then Hiccup so we can get started!"**

" **Okay, okay bud I'll hurry up,"** Hiccup responded. **"Just let me do three more calls and we can go."**

The Night Fury was pleased with the answer and anxiously waited for his brother to be done while the Stormcutter chuckled at his son's impatience. After three more successful calls Hiccup was finished with his practice. He decided to wear his armor but not the mask since it was a little cold outside due to the winter season coming, he also decided to take his staff just as a precaution. He hopped on Toothless's back and with their father beside them they took off into the sky. They flew to a snow covered piece of land that was above the sea. Once they landed Hiccup laid on the snow and felt the coolness of it while Toothless did the same. They let out sighs of relief as they did so; Cloudjumper chuckled before a mischievous smirk appeared on his face. He picked up a huge pile of snow with his wings and dumped it on the brothers. They were at first shocked to see that their father had managed to pull a prank on them before they regained their senses and smiled.

" **So that's how you want to play it huh Dad?"** Toothless questioned.

" **Well two more can play that game,"** Hiccup stated as he made a snowball.

Hiccup threw the snowball but Cloudjumper avoided it only to shove some more snow at them, Toothless shook the snow off and gathered some snow on his wings while Hiccup made more snowballs and prepared to defend himself against the snow using his staff. They threw their snow weapons at their father while Cloudjumper threw his at them. Laughter could be heard as the family enjoyed their time together. Snow was flying all over the place at this point not that the family minded. After their playful fight they laid in the snow once again. Smiles were on the brothers' faces as they relaxed, they had missed doing things like these with their father. They remembered when they were younger when Cloudjumper would take them outside the sanctuary just for fun but that was before they were captured by Drago and his men years ago. Ever since then they rarely had the chance to things such as this. As they said before even if it was only for a little while it was worth it. Hiccup sat up from the snow and stretched his arms, Toothless at up as well and went over to Hiccup. He placed his head on his brother's lap; it was his way of asking for a pat. Hiccup smiled at his brother's childlike behavior and patted his head; he then started to massage the dragon's back. He stood up from the snow and specifically started to massage the Night Fury's spine. Toothless let out a relaxed purr as he felt Hiccup's fingers digging into his back, Hiccup could feel how tense the Night Fury was as he massaged some more. He had forgotten that even though Toothless was a dragon he had needs as well and one of those needs was making sure he was relaxed as can be. All the stress they had been under was taking its toll not just on Hiccup but Toothless as well. There was a certain part of Toothless's back that felt tense. He focused more on that area much to Toothless's delight. That was when Hiccup and Cloudjumper got the surprise of their lives when spines suddenly started popping on Toothless's back. They were extended spines! Hiccup and Cloudjumper gasped at the sight, that caught Toothless's attention.

" **What? What is it?"** Toothless asked.

" **Toothless… you… on your back… spines,"** Cloudjumper stuttered.

" **You have spines on your back!"** Hiccup exclaimed.

" **Wait what?"** Toothless questioned.

He looked at his back and saw what his family was trying to tell him, he instinctively flapped the spines. He couldn't believe it! He didn't know he had those! He flapped them again before bouncing up and down with joy. Every time he bounced the snow would scatter, Toothless couldn't contain his excitement as he did so. Hiccup and Cloudjumper got over their shock and laughed a little over the Night Fury's reaction to having extra spines on his back. That's when Hiccup put his staff down and started to playfully chase after Toothless, Toothless would then stop allow Hiccup to catch him only to run away and begin the chase again. More laughter could be heard before they finally stopped, Hiccup took this time to study the extended spines. Cloudjumper got closer to his sons to see the spines for himself.

" **Did you know that I had these Dad?"** Toothless asked.

" **No I didn't son, I didn't know Night Furies possessed such an ability. I'm starting to understand why your species got the title of the 'Unholy Offspring of Lightening and Death Itself.' With spines like those it will make tight turns easier for you,"** Cloudjumper said.

Indeed Cloudjumper really didn't know that his son had an ability such as this, he didn't even know Toothless's real parents long enough for them to tell him such a thing.

" **They're so cool bud,"** Hiccup commented. **"Every dragon really does have its secrets."**

" **Of course Hiccup and this is yet another one you can add to your collection of them,"** the Stormcutter added. **"It's strange knowing that you're the only human who knows these secrets."**

Hiccup smiled.

" **And someday I hope that other humans will get to know these secrets… the right humans that is,"** Hiccup replied.

The dragons looked at Hiccup with sincerity over his comment; they knew what his dream was. They knew it all too well. He wanted humans and dragons to live together but they were starting to wonder for what other reasons Hiccup wanted this so badly. Yes they knew he wanted this so no one would have to die or fight anymore but at the same time they felt like there was more to this goal than they thought.

Hiccup wanted humans and dragons to come together in perfect harmony. He wanted to be with dragons and humans; he wanted to be a part of both worlds. But at the same time he wondered if it would ever be possible, that's why he worked so hard and that's why Toothless's worked hard too. He let out a sigh as he petted Toothless; a small smile was on his face as he did so. For now he could find comfort amongst his dragon family. He admired the spines some more and complimented his brother some more.

" **Hey Toothless let's test those spines out before we go home,"** Hiccup said.

" **Sounds like a plan!"** Toothless responded. **"Let's go Dad!"**

" **Alright, alright let's go,"** Cloudjumper stated.

Hiccup picked up his staff and quickly got onto Toothless's back; the Stormcutter and Night Fury stretched their wings and took off into the sky. Hiccup yelled for joy and he could feel a difference in Toothless's flying. Toothless flew around several rocks that were poking out of the ocean as well as several other snow covered lands. Cloudjumper was following behind them; Toothless took sharper turns and did it with great speed. Toothless had a big smile on his face as he flew and avoided many of the obstacles. Hiccup held on tightly as they continued to fly. Cloudjumper could hear his sons' cheering and cheered with them. Hiccup laughed and patted Toothless on the head.

" **Great job Toothless,"** Hiccup said.

" **I'm proud of you son!"** Cloudjumper shouted. **"Very proud!"**

" **Thanks Dad!"** Toothless replied.

The boys continued to fly around the obstacles while Cloudjumper followed their trial. The brothers were about to turn back so they could travel back home when something caught Hiccup's eye. In the middle of the ocean was a land that had ice spikes sticking out of it and pieces of broken wood were stuck in it as well. Hiccup had a confused look on his face as he saw this, he had never seen a structure like that created by natural causes.

" **Toothless stop here,"** Hiccup said.

" **What why?"**

" **Look at that,"** Hiccup stated as he pointed.

Toothless look where Hiccup was pointing at and saw the same thing. He looked confused as well; Cloudjumper was finally able to catch up to Hiccup and Toothless when he spotted what they were looking at.

" **Dad, that's not man made,"** Hiccup said.

" **I've never seen anything like that before,"** Toothless added.

" **Neither have I boys,"** Cloudjumper responded. **"It is very strange looking, it looks as if something was there before but was destroyed by the ice spikes."**

" **Maybe we should go back, I have a bad feeling about this,"** Hiccup stated.

Toothless was about to turn away when he heard something from a far off distance, Cloudjumper heard it too and turned around. Hiccup gave them a confused looked as they did so.

" **What is it?"** he asked.

" **I can hear something coming from behind those ice spikes,"** Toothless responded.

" **I can hear it too,"** Cloudjumper said.

" **Maybe it's a dragon?"** Hiccup suggested.

" **Maybe,"** Toothless stated. **"Let's check it out."**

" **Alright we'll see what it is but we must be cautious,"** Cloudjumper said.

They flew closer to the ice spikes and saw that it was larger than it looked, they saw that there were more ship parts decorated all over the ice spikes. Hiccup and Toothless got a good look at the strange object; they turned to look at their father when a voice yelled at them.

"Fire!"

That caught their attention as they saw two Vikings with a net launcher; a net was heading their way!

" **Dad look out!"** Hiccup yelled.

They moved out of the way but Cloudjumper wasn't as lucky as the net wrapped itself around the Stormcutter. Cloudjumper was went spiraling to the ground.

" **Dad!"** Hiccup and Toothless exclaimed in unison.

Toothless flew downward after their father until he landed on a ship! The boys saw that there was a fixed and fully working ship hidden amongst the ice spikes. They gasped as their father landed painfully on the deck with the net still wrapped around him.

As soon as Cloudjumper landed he struggled to get free but to no avail, he grunted as men started to tackle him. One of them jumped onto his head and was about to wrap rope around him, he struggled even more.

 _ **I will not be a captive of humans!**_

Eret and the men were looking at the ice structure when two dragons caught their attention, they didn't see what species they were but all they needed to know was that they were dragons. They were there since they had felt the wrath of Drago not too long ago. Drago decided to show the men the newly acquired power he got a hold of before he went back to their headquarters to show the other men. Thankfully he didn't take it out on the men but a ship instead, a useless ship that had its supplies destroyed by their enemy. However, Eret wasn't so lucky the first time this happened to them. He had received his punishment in front of the other men; a brand mark was left on his chest as a way to remember his failure and to prevent it from happening again.

Their enemies were the boy and his Night Fury along with his dragon friends, they were enemies that didn't seem to go away no matter how many years had passed since the time they first met them. To say that Drago was mad about the destruction of several forts was an understatement, he was more like furious! This was the main reason why he wanted to show off the new power he had. Drago had said that he couldn't wait to show it to the boy and Night Fury. Eret couldn't help but wonder if Drago planned to show off his new power to the people of Berk. The Vikings there had assisted them with searching for dragons as well as capturing them. Every time they captured a dragon or dragons they gave them to Drago and his men. Drago had told them that he planned to do away with the dragons but Eret and the men knew that was far from the truth. In a way he did plan to get do away with the dragons but not in the way the people of Berk thought. That was when they caught sight of the two dragons. Eret smiled at the thought of avoiding Drago's new power by delivering two new dragons.

 _Maybe Drago will appreciate more dragon captives for his army; the newcomer will especially enjoy it._

He told the men to get ready and prepare the net launcher. When he saw one of the dragons go down that got his blood pumping as he was overloaded with excitement over the thrill of the hunt. He quickly jumped on the dragon's head and brought out the rope. He noticed that it was a Stormcutter.

"Watch the tail!" he shouted. "Tie the legs up so it won't escape!"

Toothless let out a cry as he saw his father being tackled by the Vikings on the ship, Hiccup had a glare on his face as they circled around the ice structure. He was angry at the men who dared to hurt his dearly beloved father.

" **Toothless take them down!"** Hiccup shouted. **"No one does that to Dad!"**

" **You don't have to tell me twice! Those Vikings are going down!"** the Night Fury growled.

Eret was about to wrap the rope around the dragon when the cry of the other dragon got his attention. He looked up to see the dragon circling them before landing on the deck. That's when he gasped and then glared in annoyance at the sight of who it was. He felt the brand mark on his chest ache as he saw them ones who caused him to get it.

"You!" he yelled.

" **You!"** the boys exclaimed.

When the boys landed they saw who was responsible for their father's current position. It was the pain in the neck second-in-command of Drago's army. Hiccup let out a sigh of annoyance as did Toothless. Hiccup switched to his other language.

"Honestly we really need to stop running into each other like this," Hiccup said with annoyance in his tone. "It's getting annoying at this point."

"How do you think I feel, it wasn't too long ago that you made me look like a fool," Eret growled. "And caused me to receive this."

Eret pulled down his vest and tunic to reveal the burn, Hiccup and Toothless couldn't help but flinch once they saw that. It looked as if whoever did it was made sure that it would leave a scar. They shook their heads several times before returning their attention to Eret. Hiccup glared at the man before him.

"It all could have been avoided if you had just let the dragons go sooner or better yet maybe you shouldn't have joined a man like Drago Bludvist in the first place," Hiccup rebuffed. "Don't blame me or the dragons for your desperation to avoid your leader's wrath."

A vein appeared on Eret's head as Hiccup said that, Toothless laughed a little at his brother's insult. Hiccup then jumped off the Night Fury's back and landed on the ground.

"Attack them!" Eret ordered.

The men readied their weapons and were about to hit Toothless and Hiccup when the teenage boy revealed his staff and started to swing it at them. He actually managed to knock some down on their legs and hit others while Toothless used his tail to shove the others out of the way. The men were coming back at them when Toothless had an idea; he saw an ice spike above them and quickly fired a plasma blast at it. He managed to hit it and it fell right above the men and Eret, they scurried quickly. The ice spike knocked Eret to the ground, Hiccup this opportunity to run over to his father. He used the sharp ends of his staff to cut the ropes.

" **Come on Dad we have to go!"** Hiccup exclaimed.

" **I thought you never say so!"** Cloudjumper said as he go up.

The Stormcutter started to run with Hiccup beside him while Toothless followed, Hiccup didn't have time to get on Toothless so he instead hopped on his father's back. The dragons quickly flew into the air and away from the men. Eret stood up to see them escape once again! He growled.

"You can't protect those dragons forever!" he yelled. "Drago's coming for them all! Especially for your Night Fury and you! He won't rest until your blood is on his hands and until your Night Fury is his personal slave! We are getting stronger everyday especially now that we have the chief of Berk on our side! Your end is coming to you boy!"

Hiccup gasped as he heard this, he took a quick glance at Eret before focusing back on returning home. Cloudjumper and Toothless also couldn't help but share their family member's shock as well. The Stormcutter and Night Fury flew higher in order to avoid any other traps that might linger around the area. As they flew Hiccup felt his heart beat faster, for the first time in a long while he was afraid. He was downright terrified now. Eret's threats didn't sound like a joke, they sounded too real to be one. He couldn't believe he had made an enemy not only of Drago and his men but the home he had given up years ago. He was literally the top enemy of a multitude of people and now one of those people was the girl he had come to care for and hold dear to his heart… Astrid. His home was now his enemy. He felt tears burn his eyes and he clutched tightly onto Cloudjumper; he buried his face into the dragon's scales. Toothless could see his brother's face being covered but it didn't take a genius to know that Hiccup was crying. He could see his brother's shoulder shiver and move up and down. Cloudjumper could feel these movements and his eyes narrowed with sorrow over the fact that now his son had an enemy that may be impossible to defeat. Not because it was strong or terrifying but because of the fact that it was his home. The home that he had taken him from sixteen years ago. He couldn't help but feel guilt arise from within himself. He felt as if he was the one responsible for putting his son in this situation. Toothless couldn't help but feel guilty, he felt as if he was one of the reasons why Hiccup choose to stay at the Dragon Sanctuary rather than go back to his human home on Berk.

 _ **Oh Hiccup, my dear brother, I'm so sorry if my selfishness is the reason why you are suffering so much. It's because I don't want you to go back and leave me behind that you are now the enemy of your human home. I'm so sorry; I will do anything to make it up to you… even if it costs me my life.**_

The family flew together in silence as they journeyed back home. No one said anything, they just went back to their nest and rested. Hiccup cried himself sleep as he thought about the parents he never knew and about the girl he wanted to see again. He thought about them being his enemies and how he would have to fight them in order to keep his dragon family and friends safe. The war was starting to take its toll on the sixteen year old; he didn't want to admit it but he couldn't deny it anymore. He now knew how the previous generations of Vikings and dragons felt over the idea of the never ending war they were in. He wondered if it would ever be settled and if it was really his destiny to do so.

The next morning Hiccup looked at the map and gathered his team together despite his father's pleas to take a rest for the day. He told them the plan and they asked no questions as they could see the mood that the teenager was in, there was a change in Hiccup and something told the dragons that it was one that would end up hurting him. They didn't say anything though out of fear of hurting or offending Hiccup.

Once again Hiccup put on his armor and placed the mask like helmet over his face. A look of determination was on his face as he jumped on Toothless's back. With his staff in hand he ordered the dragons to take off. Cloudjumper watched his sons with a heavy heart; his concern was mostly for his human child. There was a common misconception amongst a lot of them that Vikings had about dragons: dragons could cry.

Cloudjumper cried.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 28**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Astrid collected some sticks and branches from the trees for firewood, the seasons were changing into the winter months and therefore it was getting older and colder as every day passed. She shivered a little as she felt s gust of cold air hit her, she removed a strand of hair away from her eyes as he finished collecting the firewood. She headed back to the village and much to her surprise she could see that there was more gruff men there than when she left for the forest. However, her surprise was immediately replaced with frustrated and annoyance as she recognized the gruff men as Drago's crew. That only meant one thing: Drago was here.

"Great," she whispered.

Ever since the chief of Berk made the deal with Drago they made it a common occurrence to stop by the village whenever they pleased and it anyone her to no end. She didn't like these men and she didn't like the way they treated others. They always acted like they could get away with anything because of their chief, they acted all high and mighty when in reality if it wasn't for their leader they would be nothing. And by nothing she literally meant nothing. If it were up to her she wipe the floor with all of them. However, he also had to remember the chief's reason for doing and putting up with all of this. To avenge his son. If it were her she probably would have done the same, she couldn't imagine losing a love one let alone a child like that. She would do it for the chief… and for Valka.

She took a deep sigh and held on tightly to the firewood, she hoped that by holding onto it she could avoid using her fists to punch one of them if they tried anything. She took her chances and started to walk to her home. As soon as she stepped into the village she immediately attracted the attention of some of the younger men in Drago's group. She just didn't understand why some people couldn't take a hint. She picked up the pace a little but much to her displeasure she felt a hand on her shoulder, that same hand spun her around. It was her least favorite of Drago's men, and that was saying something, Jareth.

"Hey gorgeous, did you miss me?" he asked.

Astrid gave him a fake innocent look.

"You were gone?" she asked sarcastically. "Maybe that's why it was so quiet."

Jareth frowned once he heard Astrid's tone, he growled a little as well.

"You should know your place little girl," he said. "It wouldn't be wise to anger a man of Drago's."

The teenage girl either impressed or frightened, she found it downright cowardly that the men of Drago just relied on their leader's reputation to get away with anything sickened her. Some of the people of Berk were watching this confrontation; they had looks of worry on their faces as they listened to Astrid's comments. She hoped that none of them tried to help her, not because she didn't want them to but because she was worried for their safety. She didn't want any of them to get hurt because of her; she could take care of herself.

"The fact that you rely on your leader to save you rather than yourself just proves what kind of a man you are Jareth," Astrid rebuffed. "And frankly I am not amused."

Jareth growled some more and this time she heard here a collection of gasps come from the other men of Drago. Jareth then snatched her wrist; the force made her drop some of the sticks and branches while some remained in her hand. She let out a gasp of pain as he jerked her wrist away. He tightened his hold on her once he had her where she was.

"Maybe someone needs to teach you how to respect your elders," Jareth remarked.

Astrid tried to shake his grip off but he obviously wasn't letting go anytime soon. She clenched her teeth and glared at the man who held her captive.

"Let go of me you son of a-!"

"Astrid!" a familiar voice called out.

Astrid turned to see her father running towards her and Jareth, his face was full of worry and fear as he saw who had his daughter.

"Father!" she exclaimed.

"Jareth," Finnr Hofferson addressed. "Please let Astrid go."

"Why? Why should I let this disrespectful wretch go? She needs to learn her place," Jareth stated.

Finnr obviously didn't like the insults Jareth was throwing at his daughter, his one and only child. He didn't like anyone disrespecting her especially not men like Jareth. But Finnr swallowed his pride and took a small step forward while holding his hands out in a peaceful manner.

"Please Jareth let Astrid go," Finnr said. "There's no need to get violent."

Ironically Vikings lived for fighting but not like this… not at the cost of a loved one. Jareth looked like he softened up a little but not the point where he was willing to give up so easily. He looked at Astrid with a sly and evil smirk.

"Maybe if Astrid is willing to apologize, I might consider letting her go," Jareth said.

Astrid clenched her teeth some more and gave the man standing before he a serious death glare, she hated this man and she hated everyone that was involved with Drago. She would never now down or submit to any of them. She'd rather die than do that but the look her father was giving her showed how much he wanted her safe. He wanted her to apologize. But she knew better, she knew that simply apologizing to Jareth wasn't going to let her go. She knew better because she knew Drago's men. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction but there was no sense of letting him think she wouldn't. Might as well have a little fun with is no so touch man. She would do it for her father and for herself. She turned to

"I'm sorry…" Astrid

Jareth smiled as did the rest of the men of Drago who were watching. They won… or so they thought. The people of Berk were helpless as they watched Astrid supposedly give in.

"Well that's bett-" Jareth started but was interrupted.

"I'm sorry for not doing this sooner," Astrid said as she held onto the biggest branch in her hand.

With that she swung the branch as hard as she could, the rest of the pieces of wood fell out of her arm as she did so. She swung and hit Jareth on the side of his face; he let out a cry of pain while everyone else gasped as he fell onto the ground. As a result, he let go of Astrid's wrist to which she was grateful for. Jareth laid on the ground clutching his bleeding ear, nose and lip. The side of his face looked all bruised and was covered in blood. Meanwhile Astrid stood over him with the same branch in her hand now covered with the red liquid. She had a look of pride on her face as she watched the man tremble in pain. Her father, Finnr, looked just as proud but he didn't speak his mind as he was still shocked at what his daughter had done. After a minute went by Astrid was the center of attention of Drago's men, they looked ready to pounce and attack but Astrid stood her ground.

"You little-" one of Drago's men started.

"Enough!" another, more chilling voice rang out.

Everyone stopped where they were as they recognized the voice, even Astrid let out a small gasp and her blue eyes widen. Everyone looked to see that it was Drago Bludvist himself standing next to the chief of Berk, Stoick the Vast. Stoick looked shocked; he saw everything that had happened as did Drago. He wanted to intervene but Drago held him back saying that he wanted to watch and that's when Astrid swung the branch. Drago looked amused and his expression held no remorse over his fallen man. If anything he looked proud and delighted, his love for violence showed through when that happened. It was something that honestly terrified Stoick.

"That will be enough for today," Drago said. "What a show and sight to behold."

Drago took several steps forward and stared at Jareth with a disappointing look, what he did next surprised everyone even Astrid. Drago kicked the fallen man hard in the gut. Jareth let out another cry of pain and he was now clutching his stomach. Jareth coughed and struggled to breathe as he was experiencing pain from not only his face but his stomach as well.

"Worthless worm!" Drago insulted. "Know how to pick your fights better; you bring shame to our name! Take him away and treat his injuries!"

"Yes sir!"

Two men came forward and with nervous looks and they picked up Jareth, they led him away from the crowds of Vikings and back to Drago's ship.

"Everyone else start heading back, we leave as soon as I get on the ship!" Drago ordered.

The men didn't argue and started to head for the ship, Drago stood there with Stoick. He then looked at Astrid with amused eyes; he took several steps towards her and was soon standing right in front of her. Astrid was looking at the madman directly in the eye, with the bloodied branch still in her hand. Deep down Astrid was nervous but she managed to keep her composure, she refuse to show this man any sort of weakness. Finnr couldn't do anything but watch as his daughter stood before the man with the dragon skin cape.

"You are a strong girl for one so young," Drago commented. "You'll make a lovely wife one day… as long as you pick your fights carefully, it would be a shame to have a pretty face like yours injured."

Astrid didn't say anything but she glared at Drago, she didn't know whether that was a compliment, an insult or a threat. Either way it sounded similar to what he told Jareth. The man that stood before her was one not to be underestimated, she knew that but right now she didn't care. She stared at the man's features and at his figure in general. Even for a Viking his body had more wear and tear than the others, the endless scars and wrinkles told a story. Plenty of stories. Stories she was sure she didn't want to hear, that was when something caught her eye. On one piece of armor she could has sworn she saw some frost on it. That was strange seeing as how there wasn't any snow on the ground here in Berk yet. It was faint but she knew it was frost, she found it even more strange that the rest of his men didn't have any on them as well. However, she decided to keep these observations to herself. She kept quiet and let Drago finish doing whatever he was doing.

Thankfully after a few more seconds of staring at her Drago finally turned his attention back to Stoick.

"We'll be taking our leave today Stoick, let us know if you've managed to find any more dragons," Drago stated. "And remember what we talked about."

"I will do so as soon as we capture anymore," Stoick answered. "And don't worry I won't forget."

"Good," Drago replied. "Goodbye people of Berk."

Drago began to walk away and the crowds made enough room for him to leave. As soon as Drago got on his ship they left, leaving the people of Berk at a loss for words and Astrid the center of attention still. However, Finnr quickly ran up to his daughter and embraced her in a tight hug. At first Astrid was shocked but she soon nuzzled into his chest. She finally let go of the bloodied piece of wood to hug her father. However, their moment was ruined when the chief interrupted them. He had look of anger on his face.

"Astrid that was reckless even for you!" Stoick yelled.

Astrid frowned and she let go of her father to look at the chief of Berk.

"Well sorry if I wasn't willing to submit to some piece of dragon bait like Jareth chief!" Astrid rebuffed.

Stoick's eyes widen as did her father's, everyone looked shocked at Astrid's attitude. Normally Astrid showed great respect for the chief and his wife but today was different. She didn't think what she did was wrong; it was about time someone stood up for themselves in front of Drago and his men. She had had it up to here with the lot of them. She couldn't take it anymore, siding and working with Drago was supposed to put an end to this war but it felt like it only prolonged it. She felt like they hadn't gotten anywhere.

"I'm sorry Chief Stoick but I just can't see any reason in helping Drago and his men anymore, at first I thought I understood but let's face it nothing has changed," Astrid explained. "We're no closer to ending this war then we were before Drago came along."

The crowd started to whisper amongst themselves, they were taking to heart what Astrid was saying. Deep down they knew that it was the truth but they could never bring themselves to tell the chief for obvious reasons. They understood that this whole vendetta against the dragons was simply more than just tradition… it was personal. Chief Stoick and Valka lost something or rather someone precious to the dragons all those years ago.

Stoick stared at the teenage girl before him; he always admired Astrid for her courage and for her determination. She brought pride to the Hofferson family… however her presence also made him sad as she presented a reminder. She was a reminder, that's what she saw in her.

Astrid was born the same year as his son.

If his son were here he would have been the same age as Astrid, he would have grown up with her in this village. He wondered if they would have been friends. He let out a sigh as he massaged the knots in his neck.

"Astrid, I am aware of the relationship between Berk and Drago's men. I am aware that we are in a comprising situation and it may seem like we haven't gone anywhere but that's all about to change," Stoick said.

"How so?" Astrid questioned.

Stoick looked hesitant to tell Astrid or any of the people of Berk, all eyes were on him but he wouldn't give in. What he and Drago had talked about was said in private, only because Drago asked it to be that way. There was another reason why Stoick wanted to keep it private and that was because he himself wasn't aware of the full story. Drago didn't tell him everything; he only told him one thing.

He told him that he finally had a way to end it all.

He didn't know how exactly Drago intended to accomplish that but he look on Drago's face when he said it made him believe it. Stoick couldn't tell them, at least not yet. He looked at Astrid one last time before turning around.

"All you need to know is that we are in good hands," Stoick. "At least that's what I keep telling myself."

Stoick didn't say anymore as he walked away, leaving the people of Berk alone. Astrid watched as her chief walked away, his shoulders looked like they were carrying something heavy on them. The tone of his voice said it all. Oh how their chief was just as lost and confused as them. Astrid let out a sigh at that idea.

 _I'm sorry Chief Stoick._

Her thought was interrupted by her father as he placed his hands over her shoulders; he had a small smile on his face. But there was also a hint of worry on it too.

"Let's go home Astrid," Finnr said. "I'm sure your mother is wondering where you are with that firewood."

Astrid smiled at her father and nodded her head; she picked up the firewood on the ground with her father's help. She wiped the blood on the grass and dirt before taking the branch back into her arms. As soon as they started to walk back to their house the rest of the Vikings disbanded and went back to what they were doing before Astrid's confrontation with Jareth. Astrid's actions gave the people of Berk some hope; hope that there was still some strength in this village.

Astrid and Finnr reached their house and saw Eerika Hofferson was trying to keep the fire from going out by pocking it with a stick. Eerika looked to hear who had entered her home to see that it was her husband and daughter.

"There you are Astrid!" Eerika exclaimed. "Where have you been? I sent your father to look for you when you didn't immediately show up with the firewood."

"I'm sorry I got caught up with something important," Astrid replied as she handed her mother the firewood.

Finnr chuckled a little at his daughter's comment, which confused Eerika.

"Well next time make sure you tell me if you have something important to do," Eerika said. "That way I can know, I was worried about you Astrid."

"Oh Eerika there's no need to worry about our little girl, she can take care of herself," Finnr added as he winked to his daughter.

Astrid smiled and she walked to the fireplace to help her mother, Eerika started to place the wood into the area.

"So did anything interesting happen when you were doing this important thing Astrid?" Eerika asked.

"No," Astrid replied with a sly smile on her face.

The thought of the frost on Drago's armor was still in her mind though.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 29**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Loneliness.

That was a word that the Night Fury was all too familiar with. After all he had felt this way when his parents disappeared from his nest after their deaths, he could feel that the warmth that used to hold him was gone. Even in his egg he could feel this and for a while he was alone. Even after hatching from his egg he was still alone; he was the last of his kind. At least from a pure breed lineage of Night Furies. Any hatchlings he would have in the future would most likely be half breeds. He thought he would have been alone forever but that was when he learned that he had a new father and then a new brother. He gained both in one day. For a long time they were happy… or at least he thought they were. He always knew Hiccup was different from the other dragons but it never bothered him. He loved Hiccup as both a brother and a friend, to him it didn't matter what Hiccup was. Little did he know that Hiccup's true origins would be the cause of the rift that could form between them.

After all Hiccup didn't have scales, fangs, claws or a tail like the dragons. He didn't walk on all fours and he didn't have wings. Instead he had soft and fragile skin with hair that grew out of his head; his teeth were dull as were his nails and he walked on two legs while using his other limbs for other activities. Overall, Hiccup wasn't like a dragon because he wasn't a dragon. Hiccup was a human. He found that out at the young age of six.

Toothless would never forget the look of shock, sadness and terror on Hiccup's face once he found out he was human. He knew that Hiccup probably questioned everything. He probably wondered if the dragons really cared about him and that if they mean to hurt him by taking him away from his true home. That wasn't the case, he knew it wasn't. He knew that their father saved Hiccup from that burning house and he knew that his father brought him to the Dragon Sanctuary because he knew that Hiccup had a gift. A gift that allowed him to understand and speak dragonese, the language of the dragons. However, another part of that gift was that he could speak and understand a human's language as well. It was truly an amazing gift.

Honestly, thinking about it now Toothless wondered if Hiccup ever felt alone. Before he found out his human origins he knew that human felt isolated since he wasn't like the dragons but they always made him feel welcome. They treated him as if he really was a dragon. But that didn't mean that Hiccup couldn't feel alone. Then after finding out the truth he probably felt alone because he was the only human with a gift such as his, he was more aware of his status amongst the dragons. But now it seemed like his loneliness was more apparent. Even with someone around you someone could still feel alone, Toothless knew that.

They had their friends, their father, their aunt and their home… but Hiccup was still lonely. He shouldn't have been because he was home… but it wasn't his only home. Berk was coming back to haunt them and all because of that Drago Bludvist. He hated the man even more for making Hiccup go against his own people. Despite being raised by dragons Hiccup was still human and therefore he still had a connection to Berk.

However, Hiccup wasn't the only one who felt alone now. Toothless was beginning to feel that way again. He missed his brother and he missed the way things used to be. He wished they could go back to when times were simpler and the only thing they had to worry about was avoiding getting caught by humans when they would take things from them. They shared many wonderful memories of times like these. He missed it all and his heart ached whenever he saw the look Hiccup held in his eyes these days. He had been giving Hiccup his space lately simply because he knew that's what Hiccup needed at the moment. He knew he couldn't force Hiccup into doing anything but he found that somewhat hypocritical of him. Loneliness wasn't the only thing he was feeling lately.

Guilt.

That was another word he was familiar with as well. He had been feeling it ever since Hiccup decided to stay with the dragons. He never showed it as often as now but with the way things were lately it was easy to understand why. He was happy that his brother was staying with him and their father but he knew that it came with a heavy price. Hiccup had the choice to go back home but he decided to stay just so he could be with the family the Vikings hated. The family that his own people hated. He gave up knowing his real parents, his real home and his real identity just to be with them. He gave it all away. Being a child it probably didn't hit Hiccup as hard as it should have but now that he was a teenager reaching adulthood it was now starting to hit him… and hitting him hard. And as that was going on Toothless was beginning to feel even more guilty for taking his brother away from his home, for making him stay here just because he didn't want to let go.

" **Oh Hiccup I'm so sorry,"** Toothless whispered. **"Please forgive me for my selfishness."**

Toothless cried a little as he recalled all the good times he shared with his brother and he cried for the pain he caused that same brother. He wondered if Hiccup would have been better off going back to Berk and living amongst the humans as a Viking. He wondered if it would have been easier on Hiccup if he was his enemy rather than his brother. It wouldn't be easy for him but if it was for Hiccup then he would accept it. At this point whatever made Hiccup happy would make him happy. If Hiccup wanted to leave then he wouldn't stop him. He would do whatever Hiccup wanted as long as he knew he did it because he was his friend and his brother. No matter what he would always be his brother even if they were enemies. He loved Hiccup that much. He knew that Cloudjumper felt the same way; it didn't take a genius to figure that out.

" **I wonder if Dad wants Hiccup to go back to Berk at this point,"** Toothless commented.

He didn't want the answer to that question; he knew that he couldn't handle it. For being a Night Fury he was weak. He was so weak that he couldn't keep his own family together and for hurting those he cared about. He couldn't believe that it had gotten to this point over the years. He hated Drago, he hated Eret, he hated Drago's men and he hated the Vikings.

 _ **I hate you! I hate you all! Why can't we just live in peace? Why? It's all your fault!**_

Toothless gasped as he realized what he thought, he couldn't believe he just thought that. He couldn't hate the Vikings, well at least not all of them. They were the ones who brought Hiccup in the world after all. Without them Hiccup wouldn't be here, he wouldn't have his brother if that was the case. And to think something like that meant that he hated Hiccup too. Hiccup was a Vikings as well even if he wasn't raised by them. He most certainly didn't hate his brother.

" **What do I do?"** Toothless asked. **"What's the right answer? Is there even a right answer in this situation?"**

The Night Fury sighed and rubbed his head against a cool rock of the Dragon Sanctuary. He liked how it felt against his scales especially when he was so stressed out right now. His sensitive hearing picked up that someone was coming from behind him. Toothless slowly turned his head to see that it was Stormfly. She had a sad look on her face as she walked towards the Night Fury. She wanted to see how the Night Fury was doing especially when Hiccup was not the way he used to be. She knew that her beloved aunt and uncle Clawdia and Cloudjumper were just as concerned as her. Every dragon at the sanctuary was worried about the brother duo.

" **Hey Toothless,"** Stormfly greeted.

" **Hey Stormfly,"** Toothless replied

" **Are you okay?"** the Deadly Nadder asked.

Toothless looked at her, his green eyes full of despair. He removed his head from the wall and turned away from her. He didn't want her to see him in this sort of state, he felt ashamed for having his beloved friend watch him make a fool out of himself. But nevertheless he answered her question truthfully.

" **Honestly no,"** Toothless answered. **"Nothing is okay anymore; it's not like how it used to be."**

The Deadly Nadder gave her friend a sad smile as she approached him.

" **I understand Toothless,"** Stormfly said. **"Nothing stays the same, things change… so do people… and dragons."**

" **I know, but why can't it just stay the same for once?"**

" **Because you wouldn't grow as an individual if that was the case,"** Stormfly responded. **"You wouldn't be able to learn things and experience new things as well."**

Toothless listened to her comments, he knew that she was right but deep down he wished she wasn't. He wished some things didn't have to change.

" **I suppose so,"** Toothless said. **"But sometimes I wonder if change is really a good thing."**

" **It isn't always,"** Stormfly admitted. **"But it's how you respond to that change that makes the difference… it's also what you take from that change as well."**

" **So I guess that it's a bad change for right now,"** Toothless stated.

Stormfly knew he was talking about his brother, the human named Hiccup. The same human who rescued her so long ago and the first human she trusted. Probably the only human she would ever trust honestly. She wished that wasn't true but with the way things were lately that would probably always be the case.

" **Hiccup is changing,"** Stormfly said. **"But maybe he's learning as well."**

" **What could he be learning? He isn't the same as he used to be, he's more serious and every time I look at him there's always a sense of sadness to him,"** Toothless stated. " **"It's like he's beginning to hate living here and that he's beginning to question the choice he made when we were young. The choice to stay here."**

" **I don't think that's entirely true Toothless,"** the Deadly Nadder replied.

Toothless looked at her with a confused look, Stormfly took several more steps towards him and she wrapped a wing around him. Toothless felt his heart beat faster as he smelt her scent and as he felt the warmth of her wing around his scaly body.

" **I think he's confused. All his life he lived amongst the dragons, learning about each and every one of them and calling them his friends and family. But now he's realized that the family he could have had is now his enemy. He's torn between the two, but not because he's mad but because he loves them both dearly,"** Stormfly explained. **"Even though he's never actually been with humans or lived with them he can't help but feel a connection to them because he is a human himself. It's a fact that he could never ignore or forget about because he's a human living amongst the beings that are supposed to be his enemies. He's trying to figure out what's the best thing not only for him but for others around him. You know Hiccup, he's always puts others before himself."**

Toothless couldn't deny that, it was something that was common knowledge here at the sanctuary. Hiccup always thought about others, that was the main reason why they started to rescue dragons while fighting against Drago and his men. It's also the reason why Hiccup stayed behind or at least he thought that played a role in influencing his decision.

" **Yeah that's my brother alright,"** Toothless said. **"Hiccup is too kind of a person when it comes to others. But now I'm afraid that it's because of me that he feels the way that he does. I didn't want him to leave even after finding out that he was a human, I wanted him to stay. He's my brother, that's something I can't just forget."**

" **And that's understandable Toothless; you shouldn't feel bad about caring about someone so much that you don't want them to leave. I'm like that too,"** Stormfly said. **"As you know my parents were killed when I was still young, I didn't have anyone to rely on. No one to protect me, to keep me warm, to care about me, to love me. I had no one and when I was captured by those Vikings I thought that it was the end. Until you two came along and then suddenly found myself surrounded by my species of dragons along with other species of dragons and a human. I finally found the place that I could have all of those things that I thought I could never have anymore. Whenever I'm around the other Deadly Nadders I don't want them to leave because I'm afraid that I'll go back to the way I was before. Alone."**

Toothless looked at her with wide eyes, Stormfly knew how he felt. She understood his fear of being alone, he couldn't believe it. Stormfly never acted like she ever felt like that.

 _ **So then she also knows how Hiccup is feeling right now as well. Oh Stormfly you really are a good friend.**_

" **Being alone is such a scary thing,"** Stormfly said. **"Honestly I rather be surrounded by Vikings than be alone. That may sound strange but it's true. I think I can handle any kind of pain that a Viking can inflict on me than going back to being alone again."**

Stormfly's wing tightened its hold on Toothless; it was almost like Stormfly was afraid that Toothless would leave her any second. It was like she was trying to convince herself that he wasn't going anywhere, Toothless would never do that to her. She cared about her too much to do something like that.

" **Everything is going to be okay Toothless,"** the Deadly Nadder stated. **"Don't ask me how I know I just do. Everything is going to be fine because Hiccup will be fine. He's a strong boy; don't let his small size and stature fool you. He's always been a strong person and I know that he will find what he is looking for. He just needs some time to figure it out."**

" **Do you truly believe that?"** Toothless questioned.

" **I do and you should too, everything will be okay. You just need to remember that Hiccup loves you and he loves every dragon here, nothing can erase that… not even the Vikings themselves,"** Stormfly said.

Toothless felt like the burden on his shoulders had been lifted, his heart felt more at peace and his spirit was calm. Talking to someone really helped; maybe that was what Hiccup needed. Maybe he would find it in the most obvious place just like he did. Toothless leaned his head on Stormfly, the Deadly Nadder noticed this and she leaned her own head on Toothless. Her wing was still in place as Toothless wrapped his own wing around her. The two dragons took comfort in each other's company; they stayed like that for some time. They didn't want to let go but not because they were afraid of being alone but rather they didn't want this moment to end.

He hoped his brother would soon find the peace he needed in order to move one and decide what the next course of action was. One thing was for sure he would be there right beside him when he decided.

 **Next chapter… Hiccup talks to the most obvious source of guidance and wisdom!**

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	30. Chapter 30

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 30**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Hiccup swung at an invisible enemy, he kept hitting the rocks and wood in had set up for target practice. He grunted as he felt his muscles ache and his cuts burn as sweat poured into them. He had been training nonstop ever since he was told that Berk was now his enemy. It had been three weeks since then and Hiccup didn't seem to be getting better. He just kept to himself now these days; it was as if he was afraid to be close to anyone including his own family. Honestly, the dragons could see that Hiccup's humanity seemed to be disappearing little by little. Almost as if he was erasing that side of himself and fully embracing the dragon side. There was no better proof of that then when Hiccup practiced. Instead of just wearing his armor he wore his helmet as well. He practiced with the helmet on and he would attack very similar to a dragon. They understood why though, by leaving the helmet on Hiccup was rejecting his humanity and embracing the dragon within. The dragon soul had laid within his very being. The gentle and kind boy the dragons were used to was suddenly changing for the worse, it has gotten to the point where no even his own father and brother could help hm. Hiccup was literally facing his own inner demons.

Hiccup grunted and grunted as he hit another target. Every time Hiccup did so a loud and terrifying sound came out of it, you could tell Hiccup was putting his entire strength into his moves. The boy was tearing himself a part every time he trained. Hiccup was about to hit another target again when a pain in his leg prevented him from doing so. He let out a cry of pain as his legs weakened and caused him to lean to the ground. HE panted and gasped for air as he did so. He kneeled down and took several deep breathes. Even his breathing sounded more dragon like.

The Bewilderbeast was watching from his nest, he watched the scene before him. Over the last three weeks he has watched the boy more closely than usual. As the Alpha of the dragons they were his responsibility… and Hiccup fell into this category even if he wasn't a dragon himself. He watched over the last weeks Hiccup hurt himself in ways that brought his spirit into turmoil. He could feel the teenager's pain and suffering just by watching him. Honestly, he had hoped that this was something Hiccup could handle on his own but it seemed as if he needed a push in the right direction. Deciding that it had gone far enough he chose to intervene now. He refused to allow the boy kill himself by physically and mentally torturing himself. He rose from his nest and walked slowly towards the boy, he was careful not to damage anything or hurt anyone as he did so.

Hiccup could hear the heavy footsteps coming and knew immediately who they belonged to. After living with the dragons for sixteen years he knew secrets like this. He didn't pay attention to it though nor did he say anything once the footsteps stopped right in front of him. He panted some more and tried his best to relax his body as the Alpha dragon approached him, the key work being tried.

" **Hiccup,"** the King addressed.

" **Hmm,"** Hiccup responded, not bothering to answer in full words.

" **Your spirit shows signs of distress and raw emotion,"** the King added. **"You've been acting very differently these days young one."**

" **I haven't noticed,"** Hiccup answered.

Hiccup wasn't trying to be disrespectful to the Bewilderbeast; he wasn't trying to hurt anyone including himself. He wasn't capable of doing such a thing. Despite what he had said to the Bewilderbeast, deep down he knew that there had been a change in his attitude. He didn't mean to make others worry about him; he was just so tired of having to be to in the middle of this endless and pointless war. The sixteen year old now knew how both the Vikings and dragons felt about it and why they hated each other so much because of it. He understood that feelings of frustrated and helplessness are what led to the hatred as well.

" **What is going through your mind Hiccup?"** the King asked in a concern and gentle tone.

Hiccup sighed and finally stood up from the ground despite the pain in his legs, he had his head pointed down as if was ashamed. The mask like helmet hid the emotion that was on his face as he did so, despite this the King knew better and he could picture the look on Hiccup's face even with the helmet on. He had his staff to his side and he just stood there like a statue. The large dragon moved into a more comfortable position and pointed to a place where he wanted Hiccup to sit. Hiccup saw this and slowly sat down next to the Bewilderbeast with his armor and helmet on.

" **I know it has not been easy on you young one, especially in the recent years,"** the King stated. **"I remember when you were younger how you always were curious about new things. It was as if your eyes could unlock the mysteries and wonders of the world."**

Despite his mood and the sore aches he was experiencing, Hiccup smiled underneath his Night Fury helmet. He recalled the times when he and his brother would get into all kinds of trouble when they were little and how it always made Cloudjumper a nervous wreck whenever he spotted his sons doing such things.

" **When you were just a hatchling I knew you were going to do great things Hiccup and I knew that your brother, Toothless, would be right there by your side helping you with those great things,"** the King stated. **"And despite what you may think or feel I know you both have accomplished great things already."**

Hiccup gave the Alpha dragon a puzzled look behind his helmet which made the Bewilderbeast smile, as stated before he could tell what kind of expressions Hiccup was giving underneath that helmet. It wasn't any kind of magic or power that made him know, he just knew the boy and understood him after sixteen years of him living amongst the dragons.

" **King, with all due respect, I don't think that's true,"** Hiccup responded. **"I mean sure Toothless and I have saved dozens if not hundreds of dragons over the years but at the same time it feels like we're no step closer to achieving peace. Look at what people like Drago have done to this world; he's making things worse and harder to achieve that goal. When we first started this I didn't take into consideration the people in this world… I didn't think about it… I didn't have the answers and even today I still don't, no matter how hard I try and no matter how hard I look for them… I just can't find them."**

He was scared, only this time his fear was on another level. It was different than the other times he had been scared. He had been scared when he first found out he was a human raised by dragons, he had been sacred when he and his brother went on their first rescue mission together, he had been scared when they had been captured by Drago and he had been scared, he had been scared when Eret tried to take his father and he had been scared once he found out that Berk was helping Drago and his men. But his fear now was nothing compared to this and it all came down to one thing. He didn't have all the answers and that was what scared him the most.

The Bewilderbeast looked at the teenager with sympathy in his eyes. He leaned down and nuzzled the teenage boy a little, Hiccup was stiff at first at the sudden movement but he gradually became relaxed. The Alpha spoke again.

" **Hiccup, no one said it would be easy. Even you and your brother said the same thing when you started your mission of rescuing dragons but you did it anyways because you two are strong and caring boys and you want to see a time where dragons and Vikings can live together in peace"** the King stated. **"Young one, sometimes the answers aren't always going to be right in front of you and sometimes you have to find them through difficulties. But when you do trust me when I say that it will be the most fulfilling and rewarding, when you have to wait for a long time for something you will feel this. I guarantee it. After all, when you first found out that you were a human did you wait around or did you go look for answers yourself?"**

Hiccup sat there silent, he recalled the time when he was six years and had just discovered that he wasn't a dragon at all. He clutched onto the necklace he had around his neck.

" **I… went to look for them in that village,"** Hiccup replied. **"Without telling my dad and brother anything, I ran to that village and I saw for the first time things that looked like me. I also saw how different dragons and Vikings were compared to each other; it led me to think about what I wanted to do with my life. I could go back to the people who were my birth parents and live as a human once again or I could go back to my dragon family and find the purpose for me being with them. I thought I had the answer because it felt like I was doing the right thing by staying with Dad and Toothless."**

" **Was it an easy answer to look for?"** the Bewilderbeast stated.

" **No."** Hiccup replied.

" **And did it feel fulfilling and rewarding?"**

" **Yes."**

" **Then it must have been the answer,"** the King said. **"Hiccup I understand why you feel this way and I understand why you are pushing yourself so hard. But you cannot hope to achieve people with others if you cannot achieve peace with yourself."**

Hiccup never thought about it that way but it was true. He couldn't face the future when he was still looking at the past. He kept all the "what if's" and that was causing him to act this way. He kept thinking about the past and he was letting it cloud his judgment. Not to mention him dwelling on the past was causing the ones he loved to be hurt.

" **You must understand that the world isn't on your shoulders unless you want it to be, you have a lot of loved ones who will be there for you and who will gladly stay by you. You have your father, your brother, your aunt, your friends and you have me as well. If you have any problems or troubles then come to one of us Hiccup. We want to be there for you but we can't be there for you unless you want us to,"** the King stated. **"You may think that it's pointless because you feel as if you cannot bring yourself to fight against the human home you were born to. But no one here is going to force you to fight them. I know that it hurt you when you found out that Berk was working with Drago but you must see the full picture of the situation at hand."**

Hiccup looked down at his hands and saw how worn out they looked from all of his training and practicing. He let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck.

" **I don't want to fight against them,"** Hiccup admitted. **"But I can't let them hurt the dragons either. This whole time I keep thinking that if I chose one side in some way I'm betraying the other. I don't have the answer to this situation your majesty. I'm sorry King but it all comes down to that… and I'm scared. I'm scared that by not knowing the answer something bad will happen."**

Tears leaked out of Hiccup's green eyes and he slowly took off the helmet to reveal his face to the Bewilderbeast. He wiped away the tears and avoided the gaze of the Alpha dragon. The Alpha dragon's eyes were filled with compassion as he listened to Hiccup's worries. The Bewilderbeast placed his paw around the sixteen year old. Hiccup leaned into the paw; it was nice and cool and made his aches feel a little better. He silently cried into the paw and he clutched onto it.

" **You should not be ashamed by your feelings young one; there are times when you yourself forget that you are still a child. A child who has been through a lot at a young age. I can honestly say that you are more mature than most adults. That fact alone if a trait you should be proud of, Toothless is the same way too. He always makes sure he puts others before himself… just like you,"** the Alpha dragon said. **"I know that I speak for every dragon here when I say that we are proud of you and your brother and no matter what that will never change. Your father is very lucky to have two sons such as you and your brother."**

Hiccup smiled a little and wiped away the tears he had in his eyes along with the tear stains that were on his cheeks. He leaned into the Bewilderbeast's paw a little more, it felt good to talk to someone about what he was going through especially after so long. He knew that it was mostly his fault for this though since he refused to let anyone find out about his problems, not to mention that he didn't really to anyone this deeply about the topics. He decided to bring up something else that had been bothering him recently.

" **King,"** he addressed. **"There… there is something else that has been bothering me lately."**

" **And what is that young one?"** the King asked.

" **Honestly, it's been on my mind even before finding out that Berk is helping Drago. But lately I've been thinking about that place, the home I chose to leave in order to stay with this one. I don't regret my decision since the dragons have been a big and great part of my life but I can't help but wonder how my life would have been had I stayed there,"** Hiccup stated. **"I think about the parents I never knew and the girl I met there. I've only seen her two times and yet I feel such a connection to her and I don't know or understand why exactly. Berk has been on my mind to the point where… where…"**

" **Where what Hiccup?"** the Bewilderbeast questioned.

" **Where… I… want to go back,"** Hiccup replied. **"Don't misunderstand me King, I love my life here and I love my dad and brother along with my friends, but my connection to Berk is growing strong as time passes. I'm beginning to realize that. So when I found out that Berk was helping Drago I realized that I have been going against that connection by choosing to save the very beings that they hate and despise… the beings I have come to see as my family and friends."**

The Alpha dragon listened to Hiccup's concern and gave him a small smile; he knew that it would be a matter of time before Hiccup got curious about his origins again. Deep down he knew that the little human hatchling that arrived sixteen years ago would grow up and probably someday would return to where he came from. He just didn't think it would so soon, sixteen years may sound like a long time but to the dragons it wasn't. Dragons tended to live for longer life spans than humans, although they technically did go by human ages such as Toothless being sixteen years old just like Hiccup. He should have known that Hiccup's connection to Berk was what was causing him to go through such emotions. It wasn't right that Hiccup kept such things bottled up inside him and not tell others about his problems.

" **I feel so torn King; I feel like I belong there but at the same time I feel like my place is here with the dragons. I don't know what to do when it comes to this situation, once again I don't have the answer or answers,"** Hiccup stated. **"I really like it here but I feel like I have to be in Berk. However, I don't want to disappoint my dad or brother or anyone else here. I don't want them to feel like I don't love or care for them, I do. I love and care for them very much… it's just that I don't know how to approach them about the subject."**

This was another reason why Hiccup kept to himself these last weeks. He didn't want to hurt his family and friends here at the Dragon Sanctuary by telling them such things. He didn't want them to think that he didn't like it here or that he didn't want anything to do with. It was quite the opposite but Hiccup couldn't ignore the fact that he was human. A human with the soul of a dragon but nonetheless still a human. His human side was calling out to him and it was coming from Berk while his dragon side wanted to continue to fight for the dragons and to stay with them. He just couldn't find the answer… once again that scared him.

The King held tightly onto the teenager, it was his way of comforting the boy. He felt like there was an answer to Hiccup's dilemma, an answer that could possibly bring him closer to the solution. The large dragon knew that he would have to suggest something that maybe Hiccup never bothered to consider or say out loud.

" **Well maybe the answers are closer than you think Hiccup,"** the King said.

Hiccup turned to the Bewilderbeast with a puzzled look on his face.

" **What do you mean by that?"** Hiccup asked.

The Alpha dragon gave him a small smile.

" **I mean that maybe you need to look for the answers as I said before,"** the Alpha dragon replied. **"And it sounds like those answers lie in Berk itself."**

Hiccup's green eyes widen at the suggestion the King had made. He looked at him like he was crazy.

" **Go to Berk?"**

The King nodded, confirming what he had said before.

" **But I couldn't possibly think about doing like that; it would hurt Dad and Toothless along with everyone else here,"** Hiccup stated.

" **Oh I don't think you have to worry about that, after all it was these dragons who raised you from a hatchling to the teenager you are now. They taught you everything you know about dragons as well as how to live and survive. You're a part of their family, even the dragons who were brought here later in their lives think so as well,"** the King said. **"My point being that you don't have to worry about hurting them or disappointing them. They love you regardless of you being a human and regardless of your ties to Berk and the Vikings in general. I'm sure they will understand if you simply explain to them… when you're ready of course. This is a decision that you need to make young one, it's a decision that cannot be rushed or you can be pressured into doing or not doing."**

Hiccup looked down at the ground and contemplated what the King had said, he could go to Berk or he could stay here. He didn't know what to do but the Bewilderbeast had told him that he could make the choice when he was good and ready. Deep down he knew that the dragons would love him regardless of what he did but his insecurity was getting the best of him especially now that he had a lot of things to lose. He didn't want to lose his dragon family but at the same time he didn't want to fight against his human family. But maybe what the King said was true, maybe the answers lied there. And maybe… just maybe that was how he could unite the dragons and humans. Go to Berk and settle the issues the Vikings have with the dragons, he wasn't sure how he would do it but he was sure he would find a way there. Berk, a place he had given up years ago but now seemed to be calling out to him.

" **You should tell your father and brother though, you should tell them right now just so they're aware of your feelings. They need to understand why you want to do this if you choose to go but like I said you don't have to make the decision now,"** the King said. **"Tell them and then make your decision when you're ready."**

Hiccup's eyes shined with determination as he listened to the Bewilderbeast's statement. He hugged the Alpha dragon's paw once more before standing up. He took his helmet and staff and decided to make his way towards is family but before he did he turned to the leader of the dragons.

" **King,"** he addressed. **"Thank you… for listening and for everything else."**

He bowed as he said so and the Bewilderbeast nodded his head.

" **You're quite welcome young Hiccup, and remember you always have a place here in the Dragon Sanctuary."**

Hiccup smiled and nodded. He ran towards his nest with bright smile on his face and with a lighter spirit that was finally at ease. All the while the Alpha dragon stared as Hiccup left; he walked back to his nest and settled down.

 _ **Wherever you're journey make take you Hiccup, I know that you will accomplish great things. The same goes for your brother as I know that he will be your side through it all along with your father and friends here.**_

With that the Bewilderbeast closed his eyes and decided to have a little rest before continuing with his day. He dreamed of Hiccup and Toothless flying together through the clouds with other Vikings who rode on dragons.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 31**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Hiccup ran throughout the sanctuary and towards the home he shared with his father and Toothless. Once he saw the nest, he ran faster. Along the way the dragons noticed a change in Hiccup's disposition, he looked more happy and relaxed. They didn't know what had happened to cause such a change but they were thankful nonetheless, their Hiccup was back. The boy that would always love and appreciate no matter what. Hiccup finally reached his nest and saw that his relatives were eating small snack of fish along with some fruit that grew in the sanctuary. They were eating but they didn't look like they were enjoying it. This didn't surprise Hiccup since he knew that his bad mood placed them in a bad mood as well.

" **Dad, Toothless,"** Hiccup called out.

The dragons turned their attention to the boy standing outside their nest; they immediately noticed the big smile on his face. This caught them off guard, they stopped eating their snacks and they stood up to walk towards Hiccup. They had looks of concern and worry as they saw the teenage boy standing right in front of them, they didn't know how Hiccup was feeling especially after all the time he kept to himself. But they noticed a change in their relative since he wasn't wearing his Night Fury helmet like he had done before whenever he was wasn't training. Instead they saw that the helmet was in his hands along with his staff.

" **Dad, Toothless… it's time we talk,"** Hiccup stated.

That caught the two dragons off guard; they weren't expecting Hiccup to say something like that. The tone of his voice was gentle and sincere as it had always been when he was younger and before discovering Berk's role with helping Drago. Cloudjumper gave his son a fatherly expression.

" **Okay son,"** the Stormcutter said. **"Let's talk."**

Hiccup nodded his head, took more steps into the nest and sat down. He placed the helmet and staff beside him and waited to start the conversation. Cloudjumper and Toothless sat down before him and both prepared themselves for what Hiccup was about to say.

" **First off,"** Hiccup started. **"I want to say that I am sorry for the way I have been acting for a while now. I know that it was wrong of me to make you all worry and for thinking that I was the only one suffering when you all were suffering just as much as I was."**

" **Oh Hiccup there's no need for you to be sorry-"**

" **Yes there is Dad; I acted like a jerk not just to you and Toothless but to everyone here as well. I am very ashamed of how I acted especially when I it was very childish of me to act like that when I'm already sixteen years old."**

" **Seventeen soon,"** Toothless added. **"You and me only have a few more months to go before we're seventeen years old."**

Hiccup smiled at his brother's reminder, in a short while both him and his brother would be seventeen and then they would be eighteen. They were slowing reaching adulthood which only made Hiccup even more determined to go back to Berk. Speaking of which that made him remember why they needed to talk in the first place.

" **And it has been a wonderful sixteen years here with you all,"** Hiccup said. **"I love it here with you guys and the other dragons, you're my family and my friends no matter how old I get or how many years pass."**

Cloudjumper and Toothless heard the tone in Hiccup's voice; he was reminiscing. It was a happy and yet sad tone. This made the Night Fury worry even more, he didn't know where Hiccup was going with this conversation and yet deep down he had a feeling he knew. He didn't want to accept it but for his brother he would listen. Hiccup continued with his statement.

" **This is my home… but… so is Berk."**

The two dragons eyes' widen at that statement, their hearts pounded a little faster. Their assumptions about Hiccup were true, he had been thinking about going back or at least that's how it looked like. Nevertheless they allowed for Hiccup to continue.

" **I've been doing a lot of thinking lately,"** Hiccup said. **"And through a lot of confusion and thought… I've decided that… that… there's no easy way for me to say this but… I… I want to go to Berk."**

Toothless restrained himself from yelling or gasping, he knew that it was coming even if he didn't want to admit it. Cloudjumper on the other hand remained calm and collected; he too knew what Hiccup was going to say even before he said it. As a father he knew his sons better than they did sometimes. He had a feeling thoughts like this were going through Hiccup lately.

" **Like I said I'm not trying to offend you all and I'm not trying to say that I hate it here but I realized something. I need to go back,"** Hiccup said. **"I feel like I will find what I'm looking for there, especially now that Drago has allied himself with them. Please understand why I'm doing this, I promise that when this is all over we can go back to being a family… and hopefully that will be the day when humans and dragons can love together as a family as well."**

Hiccup looked at both his father and brother; he hoped that they understood why he had to do this. He never wanted to hurt them especially no after all they had done for him. But he had to do this, he needed to do this. He would keep true to his promise though, he wouldn't forget about the Dragon Sanctuary and the dragons that needed him but right now he had to do something about the humans. And the only way to do so was to go to where it all began and where it will have to end. He hoped that it would end on a good note.

Toothless could feel the warmth in his heart increase; he was so happy with the fact that Hiccup didn't hate any of them. He had been worried before when he talked to Stormfly. She was right, all Hiccup needed was time for figure out what he wanted and now he knew. And he would help him. He wanted to be sure that Hiccup didn't go on this alone. He never wanted his brother experience the loneliness that he was all too familiar with, not again! Hiccup would never be alone as long as he was around!

" **I'm going to Berk,"** Hiccup firmly stated. **"No matter what I'm going and I'm not going to change my mind."**

The Stormcutter and the Night Fury looked at their relative with eyes full of love and understanding. They knew why Hiccup needed to do this, it was important to him. All his life Hiccup had done things for others without regard to himself. But now it was time for him to do something for himself. They knew this was coming; it had been coming for a long time now. Ever since Hiccup was six years old they knew that one day it would happen. They didn't think less of him though, no matter what happened they were determined to help Hiccup in any way possible. They knew that the other dragons felt the same way. Cloudjumper was the first to speak.

" **I knew since the day I first saw you that you were meant to do great things Hiccup. And you have not disappointed me, that goes for your brother as well. I am proud of you both and what you have accomplished during your sixteen years of living. As a father there is no greater joy than seeing your children happy,"** Cloudjumper stated. **"If you are certain about this my son and if you are happy with this decision then I will support you. You will always have my love and support no matter what."**

Hiccup felt the burden on his shoulders lighten as he heard his father's words; tears welled up in his green eyes as well. He started laugh a little and then he was tackled by a familiar force, Toothless. The Night Fury cuddled him and licked his face making Hiccup laugh even more.

" **And don't forget about me you dummy!"** Toothless exclaimed. **"You have me as well and I will always be there for you every step of the way, if you want to go to Berk then I'm going with you. And don't even try to talk me out of it, there's no way I'm letting my one and only brother go out there alone!"**

Toothless then looked at his father. He thought about the conversation he had with Stormfly not too long ago. He decided that he would do this for his brother; it had been on his mind lately. He would do anything to make sure Hiccup was safe and that he found what he was looking for.

" **I'm going with him Dad,"** the Night Fury stated. **"Hiccup is my brother and I want to help him."**

Cloudjumper expected this, after all if one went the other had to as well. The brothers were a pair, they always did everything together. That was one of things he admired about his sons. Their commitment to each other was strong, sometimes too strong to comprehend but strong enough to appreciate. He understood their reasons and he would hope for the best for each of them. He hoped that Berk would the answers.

" **I understand my son,"** Cloudjumper said. **"I'm proud of you for your bond to Hiccup; you have always amazed me with how strong it is. I know that you will protect Hiccup just like I know that he will protect you. You both have my blessings for this journey."**

The boys were happy to hear that there father agreed with them, they ran to the Stormcutter and embraced him. The father of two wrapped his wings around his sons and hugged them tightly. The boys hugged their father and they could hear his heartbeat, it was a soothing tune to listen to. It reminded them of when they were younger and how they used to snuggle up to Cloudjumper as they would sleep. They had so many good memories of their father and they didn't want them to end, they didn't want someone like Drago to ruin that. They wouldn't let him. They would go to Berk and see what they could do; they would put an end to this nightmare once and for all.

But first it was time to tell the King about their decision; Hiccup knew that he would accept it as well. After their talk earlier today he knew he would and Hiccup already choose a day when they would leave. At the end of the week they would leave for Berk, they wanted to make sure that every dragon was taken care of and to make sure that the unhatched eggs and newborn hatchlings were healthy. Everything would be okay here; they knew that the Dragon Sanctuary would be fine without them for a while.

They would tell the King and he would tell the other dragons as he always did. Hiccup and Toothless would begin a new adventure, one that probably would take a while but they were familiar with a process such as that. After all they had been rescuing dragons for years now; they had experience beyond their years. They had love and support from those they cared about and they would not fail them.

And so the dragon that was the last of its kind and the boy born with the soul of a dragon would soon start a new journey: to Berk!

 **Hiccup and Toothless have made their decision, they're going to Berk! What surprises and obstacles await them at the place where it all began? Stay tuned to find out! XD**

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 32**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 **I know that I haven't updated for a very long while but don't worry I'm not abandoning this fanfic! And for everyone's patience I present to you all two chapters for the price of one! Enjoy! XD**

Today was the day. To Berk.

Hiccup and Toothless were set and ready to go. Hiccup wore his armor but without the helmet and staff. He left them at the nest he shared with his father and brother, Cloudjumper promised to keep both safe until they returned. There was one thing Hiccup continued to hold onto even in his quest back to Berk and that was the dragon tooth necklace he wore ever since he was a child. The same one that Drago stole and tried to keep for himself. It was still around his neck even after all those years. His baby tooth was still in the middle with the dragon teeth around it. A symbol of his family and home at the sanctuary.

Right now it was time to get a better look at his other home, his birth home at Berk. It was in the morning but it would be night by the time they got over there. They hoped to get there while the sky was dark enough so no one would see them. They stood where the opening outside the sanctuary was. Cloudjumper, Clawdia, Stormfly, Hookfang, Meatlug, Barf and Belch, Thornado, Skullcrusher and many others were there to see them off. The King already said his farewell's to the brothers and granted them his blessings and best wishes. When the Bewilderbeast told the dragons about the news they were all shocked and worried at first but after explaining the situation to them they eventually relented but they still had their concerns. They hoped that the duo would make it back safe and sound once it was all over.

 **"Be safe my sons,"** Cloudjumper stated. **"I love you both."**

 **"We love you too Dad,"** the boys said in unison.

 **"Make sure to protect each other,"** Clawdia added.

 **"We will Aunt Clawdia, don't worry,"** Toothless stated.

 **"And Toothless,"** Stormfly addressed.

 **"Yes Stormfly?"** Toothless questioned.

The Deadly Nadder took several steps forward and she placed her face next to his, she nuzzled it in a more affectionate way before licking his face. Cloudjumper gasped as he watched what was going on between his son and his niece, Clawdia snickered a little as he was all too familiar with the relationship between the two young dragons. Toothless didn't seem to mind the attention even if his father, brother and aunt were watching. Hiccup blushed a little at the sight of the affection Stormfly was giving his brother, a sly smile appeared over his face. It was payback time.

 **"Hey you two lovebirds, get a room," Hiccup teased.**

Toothless then blushed but Stormfly giggled a little.

 **"Hiccup!"** Cloudjumper exclaimed. **"Toothless! How dare you engage in such activities, I told you that there will be no romantic relationships of any kind!"**

 **"Hey I didn't start this, Stormfly did!"** Toothless argued.

Stormfly merely walked by to where she was before with a little pep in her step. She looked like a giddy girl in love for the first time in her life, that's maybe because she was. It didn't take a genius to see that. Hiccup was laughing at this brother's expense especially when he did the same to him when it came to Astrid. Toothless gave his brother a playful glare before hitting him with his tail, Hiccup was thrown off his balance before he regained it. He then gave his brother a similar playful glare. Cloudjumper sighed but he smiled as he watched his two boys and Stormfly. He didn't know what to do with them now that they were growing up so fast when it came to girls. Clawdia stood beside her good friend and she smiled at the boys she thought of as her nephews. She wished them the best of luck on their journey and she hoped that they would be safe. Knowing her nephews anything was possible. Hiccup looked at his brother and nodded his head.

 **"Well we should be off,"** Hiccup announced.

 **"Yeah let's go Hiccup,"** Toothless responded.

Hiccup jumped onto Toothless's back and the Night Fury spread his wings. He began to flap them and they were off the ground in a matter of seconds. They stared down at their family and friends, the looks in their eyes made them even more determined to find a way to end this war.

 **"We'll be okay Dad,"** Hiccup exclaimed. **"We won't let this sanctuary down!"**

 **"We'll make you all proud!"** Toothless shouted.

 **"I know you will!"** Cloudjumper responded. **"And we already are!"**

The brothers smiled and then they took off, they left through the tunnels and were soon outside the sanctuary. The dragons continued to stand there looking at the area where the two left. The boys were at it again, they were out on their own. It was something they become accustomed to over the years… they just hoped that they would come back like they always did.

 **"They'll be okay,"** Clawdia whispered.

 **"Yeah I know they will,"** Cloudjumper replied.

With that the dragons went back to what they were doing, they made it their goal to keep the Dragon Sanctuary alive and well during the brother's absence. Cloudjumper would miss his sons but he had to remind himself that it wasn't forever. He would be reunited with them… one day… when the time was right.

Toothless and Hiccup flew over the vast ocean and towards Berk, Hiccup held onto his brother as the wind brushed pass him and his brother. Along the way Hiccup could feel his heart beat with excitement and anxiety. He couldn't believe this was actually happening; he was going back to Berk. After sixteen years of living with dragons and ten years since he made his decision to stay with them, he was finally going back to actually interact with the humans. It was something he had never done before and the only time he did was with a girl known as Astrid. Speaking of which, he was nervous about the possibility of speaking to her again. Honestly there was a possibility; it was inevitable because that was her home too. He wondered what he would say and do when he saw her. He knew that he still couldn't tell her about his family and about where is has been for the last several years. He looked at the necklace he had around his neck, it hadn't change since the day he got it. All the teeth were still in their places and the thread used to hold them was still strong and sturdy. Hiccup wondered if the reason why it was still intact was because of the bond he shared with the dragons, that's what it was supposed to be a symbol of after all. Maybe that's why it was so strong, even after Drago had taken it from it was still in good condition. That was proof that Drago was wrong about dragons. He would prove Drago wrong! He didn't care how long it took, he would do it!

The brothers continued to fly in silence as the dark sky began to slowly change. They still had enough time though, enough time to make it to Berk without anyone seeing them. Hiccup thought about how to approach the Vikings; he didn't know how he was going to do it. He didn't know if he should just walk into the village or find Astrid and have her introduce him to everyone or maybe he could act like he lost his way… he scratched his as he thought of other ways to do it. Well he supposed he would have to wait and see until he was actually on Berk. As they flew Hiccup could feel his heart beat increase with every second that passed, they were getting closer. He could feel it. His past ties to Berk were coming back to him… or rather he was coming back to it. To say that he was nervous was an understatement but felt excited too. He was looking forward to seeing that island again, he was looking forward to seeing the cove where it all began, he was looking forward to finding his parents… and he was looking forward to seeing Astrid again. His grip on his brother tightened as they flew, Toothless noticed this and couldn't help but speak.

 **"Everything alright Hiccup?"** he asked.

Hiccup looked down and meet green eyes that resembled this own.

 **"Yeah bud,"** Hiccup stated. " **Everything's fine. I'm just nervous that's all. I mean my past encounters with humans haven't been that great and I don't really know how to blend in with them. I'm just worried that they're going to find out my secret."**

The Night Fury simply nodded in head in agreement. He knew that this wasn't easy for Hiccup but he also knew that he had to do this. It was not only for him but for those they cared about as well.

 **"I understand. After all you're a human raised by dragons in a war between them and Vikings,"** Toothless commented. **"The dragons saw your hidden greatness from when you were just a baby. But those Vikings are fools if they don't see your potential too. You have to make them realize that there is more to this world that just fighting and killing each other… I think we're proof of that."**

Hiccup couldn't help but smile at his brother's comment; he hoped that he was right. He hoped that he would play some role in ending this war because he wanted to live a life where he had both families rather than just one. Hiccup hugged Toothless as they flew, after a while the night started to cloak them with its darkness.

Meanwhile back on Berk, everyone was getting ready for one of two things. One, sleep. Or two, the dragons. They tended to be more active at night due to the advantage of the darkness hiding them and since they could see better in the dark than the Vikings. All of the adults were assigned to their stations and they prepared themselves for the raid that was about to occur. Among them was the chief himself and his closest comrade and blacksmith, Chief Stoick and Gobber the Belch. They were running amongst the people, Gobber wanted to show off his newest invention to the chief. Lately Gobber had noticed that they had very little successes with trapping the dragons especially when Drago wanted them alive and as intact as possible. It was almost impossible to do so since the Vikings literally had to throw their weapons at the flying beasts. And that was when Gobber got an idea and he got to work on that idea. It was a device that would shoot nets at its intended target, as long as it was position correctly of course. When they had finally reached the forge Gobber unveiled the invention much to the amusement of Stoick.

"Gobber are you sure that it will work?" Stoick questioned.

"It's fool proof Stoick," Gobber replied. "Why just one hit of this baby and the dragons will be tumbling out of the air."

Stoick looked at him with uncertainty, he recalled Gobber's history with inventing and weapons. The man was a genius when it came to craftsmanship but he was a madman when it came to inventions. For the most part his inventions did more harm than good, the man had his good intentions but they couldn't rely on good intentions alone. The only reason why Stoick allowed Gobber to continue with his dragon hunting inventions was due to the fact that they were living in desperate times. Soon it would be time for Drago and his men came back to the island to collect the dragons they had captured. And the last thing he wanted was to invoke Drago's wrath in anyway. He let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead.

"If you can manage to take down a dragon with that machinery then it will be of good use to this village," Stoick stated.

Gobber beamed with pride over hearing that and he nodded his head.

"Will do Stoick," he answered.

That was when the sounds of familiar cries reached out to them. The roars of dragons and the shouts of the people.

"Dragons!"

"The dragons are attacking!"

A glare spread across Stoick's face as he heard the cries of his people.

 _I won't allow those beasts to take any more innocent lives!_

"Gobber give me that invention outside!" he shouted. "I will be the first one to test it!

"Yes sir!" Gobber yelled.

With that Gobber handed the piece of machinery to Stoick and he quickly explained to him how to work it. Once he was done he turned his attention to the crowd of Vikings that were begging for more weapons from him. He passed out weapons as quickly as he could muster while other fought for their home. Among those fighting was the familiar teenager named Astrid. With her trusted axe in one arm and with a shield in another she ran towards her targets. She swung her weapon and let out the battle cry of a warrior.

"For Berk!" she exclaimed.

 _And for those who lost their lives to this endless tragedy… especially for Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III!_

That's what she was: a warrior and a Viking. She would protect her home with her dying breath in order to make up for those who couldn't. She would fight not only for herself but for those she cared about. She swing and avoided the attacks aimed at her while trying to get others to safety. She paid no attention to the dark figure flying above her as she jumped and shielded herself from harm.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 33**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 **As promised here's the second part of the two chapters! XD**

The view of the island got larger and larger as they flew toward it. It was the moment of truth for the two brothers. They didn't know what to expect from the island that they hadn't seen for so many years. So many things had changed, including themselves. They didn't know what fate had in store for them but they hoped that it was good. Unfortunately it didn't seem like they would caught a break just yet as they stumbled upon a battle filled with screams, weapons, fire and enemies.

Hiccup and Toothless had looks of shock and horror on their face as they finally reached their destination but what bothered them the most was the battle occurring right in front of them. Dragons against Vikings and Vikings against Dragons. The whole village looked like an inferno. Hiccup had motioned for Toothless to fly higher in order to avoid any possible dangers

 **"This looks bad Toothless,"** Hiccup stated.

 **"I'll say, the dragons are getting their tails handed to them,"** Toothless replied.

The two brothers watched as some of the dragons onto the ground due to the injuries they had sustained and others managed to fly off with their prizes in hand. Hiccup could see that the dragons were hunting for food since he could see a few sheep being taken off along with some cattle. He didn't like what he was witnessing; it was just more proof that this war had to end. But for right now they had to act.

 **"Hiccup we have to do something,"** Toothless stated.

 **"No arguments here!"** Hiccup said. **"Let's help the dragons out!"**

Toothless let out a proud roar as Hiccup huddled closer to him in order to avoid being seen by the Vikings.

 **"Remember Toothless, avoid the Vikings but make sure that they don't hit anymore dragons,"** Hiccup yelled.

 **"Got it,"** the Night Fury responded.

Toothless flew higher to get a better view of where to aim, immediately he saw an area where the Vikings were huddling over a disarmed dragon. Toothless prepared his attack, a purple light emitted from his mouth and he fired his plasma blast. His aim was not to them but rather beside them, it was a way to throw them off while the dragon had time to escape. It worked! The Vikings were frightened by the sudden attack and scurried away just in time for the injured dragon to fly away from the island.

 **"Good job bud!"** Hiccup cheered.

 **"It's what I do!"** Toothless exclaimed with pride. **"Now let's move onto the others."**

With that the Night Fury and human flew toward another part of the village to see if there were any other dragons that needed their help. All the while the Vikings continued to fight, unaware of the rare dragon that flew over their heads. The Night Fury's body blended into the darkness of the night making it near impossible for anyone to see him.

Astrid continued to dodge the attacks of the dragons all the while swinging her axe, she grunted as she backed up into a familiar figure. It was Snotlout Jorgenson, her least favorite Viking. He gave her a smug smile and he wriggled his eyebrows a little much to her annoyance.

"Hello there beautiful," he greeted. "I can see you're attracted to me as well."

It was another lame pick up line and just like the other times she wasn't falling for it. She couldn't stand Snotlout for many reasons but the main reason was because he thought too highly of himself. Sure he wasn't a push over but at the same time he wasn't that great. She had beaten him all the times they practiced fighting each other. And yet he still insisted on trying to court her, well she wasn't having it especially not right now when their village needed them.

"Less flirting, more fighting!" Astrid exclaimed as she ran towards the nearest dragon and hit it with her shield.

The dragon let out a cry of pain as it felt the metal come in contact with its skin. It feel to its knees and Astrid was about to land another blow but with her axe this time when something knocked her off her feet. Bits of dirt and grass fell on top of her as she landed, she looked to see what was the cause of the sudden action when her eyes widen. Not too far from her was a crater with smoke emitting from it. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the attack came from a dragon. However, what bothered her was that she had never seen an attack like that before. It was strong enough to only leave a deep mark in the ground but also strong enough to knock her away. She noticed that the dragon she was about to finish off was nowhere to be found and she hit the ground with her fist. It got away when she was distracted.

"Focus Astrid," she whispered to herself.

She wiped the dirt and grass away from her face and she stood up on uneasy legs. That was when a similar force hit the ground again, she was about to fall back on her knees had it not been for someone holding her up. She turned around to see that it was the Chief of Berk himself. Stoick held onto her arm and held her in place.

"Careful Astrid," he spoke.

Astrid noticed that he had a very strange looking device beside him as he helped her up. She gave the chief a puzzled expression.

"Yes sir," Astrid stated as she regained her composure. "Chief Stoick may I ask what is that."

"Gobber's latest invention, it's supposed to making capturing the dragons easier. It shoots nets at the intended target," he answered. "However, I need to find the right spot to settle it on in order for it to work."

Astrid looked at the strange invention of Gobber and she couldn't help but chuckle a little. In all the years she had known the man she knew that he was dedicated to his work. Sometimes a little too dedicated, it got him in trouble from time to time.

"Hopefully it works then if that's the case," she commented. "May I suggest the area that looks above the harbor Chief Stoick?"

The Chief of Berk heard Astrid's suggestion and he looked to where she was talking about. It was a very wide area with enough space to settle the invention on. Not to mention he would have a better view of the dragon that got within his sight. He gave the teenage girl a rare smile and he patted her head.

"Very wise young Astrid," he said. "You are a fine and strong Viking."

Astrid blushed a little at his compliment, she then picked up her axe and shield and charged back into battle. Stoick on the other hand headed for the area Astrid told him about. However, he found it somewhat difficult since some of the Vikings were running into him or the dragons were trying to hit him with their wings, talons or tails. Much like Astrid and the rest of the village he was unaware of the two figures above him.

Hiccup and Toothless were trying their best to help the dragons escape but their attempts were proving to be in vain as the dragons would either return to fighting or they would get caught by other Vikings. The brothers were easily getting frustrated.

 **"Hiccup this isn't working!"** Toothless declared.

 **"I know!"** Hiccup responded. **"We need to try another course of action!"**

 **"Like what?"** Toothless asked.

 **"Well if they won't listen to action then maybe they'll listen to words."** Hiccup stated. **"Toothless, I'm going to need your help on this."**

 **"You know you always have me by your side."**

 **"You and I are going to call out to the dragons using our dragon tongues. It has to be strong enough to get their attention, once we have their attention you'll have to do the talking."**

The Night Fury gave his brother a puzzled look.

 **"Why me?"**

 **"If they hear dragonese from me they won't listen to me and we don't have time to explain everything at the moment,"** Hiccup explained. **"Is that understood?"**

 **"Yeah I get it. What else?"** Toothless questioned.

 **"Anyway you're going to have to tell them about the sanctuary. Tell them what is and its location, hopefully they'll listen and head straight for it. That way the Vikings and dragons will stop fighting… for today at least. "**

As always his brother came up with a good plan but he was worried that it wouldn't work. Whenever they had rescued other dragons they had time to tell them everything so that the dragons would trust them. But this time would be different. Not only would the dragons not see his brother but he would be the one doing all of the talking. And then there's the fact that he can't even explain everything within a time limit they had been given.

" **And what if it doesn't work?"**

Hiccup looked at his dragon brother and then back to the battle taking place before them. Fire burned throughout the village and he could hear the cries from both dragons and Vikings. It pained his heart to see such a tragedy. He may have been human but he didn't want this for the dragons and he may have been raised by dragons but he didn't want this for the humans either. He didn't want this for anybody or anything.

 **"It's either that or take their chances with the Vikings right now,"** Hiccup said.

Toothless didn't argue with his human brother, the dragons would just have to see it that way or else they would die. The Night Fury took in a deep breath and he prepared himself, he stretched his wings wide enough so that they were covering Hiccup to the point where no one would see him. Hiccup held onto the dragon and hid his face, thankfully his armor blended very nicely with Toothless's scaly skin.

 **"Okay Hiccup, I'm ready. Are you?"** Toothless asked.

 **"Always,"** Hiccup answered.

With that said the brother took in a deep breath together and they let out a powerful dragon call. Over the years Hiccup had studied his brother's dragon call and unlike the other dragon calls he didn't even need to use his staff for this one. That was just how connected he was with his brother. They let out their call loud enough to wear the dragons would hear it.

The dragons were fighting against the Vikings while trying to acquire some food for themselves when they heard it. It was a call that some had never heard or a few heard of… it was the call of a Night Fury. They all looked to see if they could spot the dragon but it was nowhere to be found. The dragons started to converse amongst each other, using their own language. To the Vikings it just looked like they were roaring and making their usual calls. They also didn't seem to notice the Night Fury call as most were too busy fighting and defending themselves. But the dragons were talking.

 **"What is that?"** a Gronckle asked.

 **"A dragon obviously!"** a Deadly Nadder replied.

 **"But what kind of dragon?"** a Terrible Terror questioned.

 **"It's a Night Fury!"** a Monstrous Nightmare stated.

 **"That's what they sound like?"** a Hotburple said.

 **"You're far too young to know what a Night Fury call is!"** a Typhoonmerang exclaimed.

 **"But it is a Night Fury's call!"** a Windgnasher added.

 **"And it's a strong one too!"** a Snifflehunch said.

With his sensitive hearing Toothless was able to pick up that the dragons had heard him.

 **"Everyone listen up!"** Toothless exclaimed. **"My name is Toothless and yes I am a Night Fury. There is not much time to explain but it doesn't have to be this way!"**

 **"What are you talking about?"** a Timberjack asked.

 **"Come out so we can see you!"** a Rumblehorn added.

 **"Like I said there is no time but there is a place where you don't have to fear the Vikings, it's a haven for dragons!"** Toothless stated.

 **"Yea right, such a place doesn't exist!"** the Hotburple said.

 **"But it does! I wish that I could fly you there myself but I can't. I'm going to tell you all where to find it and I want you all to leave as soon as I tell you!"** Toothless argued.

As much as Hiccup wanted to say something, he knew he couldn't without any more questions being asked. So he continued to hide behind his brother but that didn't mean that he wasn't getting annoyed.

 **"Why should we listen to you?"** the Windgnasher questioned.

Much like Hiccup, Toothless was getting tired of all the questions being asked. He stood his ground though as he yelled out the next part of the argument. It was the same argument his brother had used earlier when he told him about his plan.

 **"Because it's either listen to a fellow dragon or be stuck fighting with these Vikings until they either capture or kill you!"** Toothless exclaimed. **"At the Dragon Sanctuary there are many species of dragons. The Alpha himself lives there! So please go there, you'll be safe and we won't have to worry about the Vikings!"**

The dragons jumped back in surprise at the Night Fury's tone, it held a high level of authority. It was a tone that couldn't be refused, never in their lives had they heard it before. Being wild dragons they weren't used to hearing a tone like that but the way it sounded made them believe the unseen Night Fury's words. They couldn't argue with him because those really were their options and they didn't want to die. They wanted to live and if there was a place where they could do so in peace and harmony then maybe it was worth a shot. Some of the dragons looked unsure but then they remembered the situation they were in. The Vikings continued to fight them and they continued to fight back… but this battle was getting nowhere. Just like all the other battles.

 **"Alright Night Fury where is this sanctuary you speak of!"** the Gronckle asked.

Toothless smiled as did Hiccup, they were finally getting somewhere. The Night Fury spoke of the location of the Dragon Sanctuary much to the joy of Hiccup.

Stoick finally managed to reach the area he wanted and he set up the device given to him by Gobber. When he finally finished he struggled to find a good target until he finally found one. But just as he was about to shoot the dragon flew off. This surprised him and then he turned around to see the rest of the dragons flying off as well. The villagers of Berk gasped as they watched their enemies leave their home, it was so sudden and strange to them. The dragons had given up so easily unlike the other times Why? There was something wrong with this picture. It surprised them so much that they quit fighting and stood still in their places. Once Chief Stoick saw this from his people he yelled at them. To him now was not the time to give up.

"Why are you all just standing there?" he said. "Don't let them get away! Take them down by any means necessary!"

It was at that order that the villagers gathered their weapons and started to throw them at the fleeing dragons, they yelled and cursed as they missed their targets. Stoick expressed his frustrations and he kicked a rock of the ground. That was when he heard the call of a dragon, he quickly turned around but he found no dragon in sight. He looked around but nothing still.

"My ears do not deceive me but it seems like my eyes do," he said. "I know I heard the call of one of those beasts."

That was when he heard it again. He got to his position on the invention and looked around to find his target. He saw nothing but he knew that something was there. He could feel it. He waited and he stood still to the point where he could hear his own heartbeat. That was when something caught his eye; he saw something almost invisible move swiftly across the sky. He had only caught a glimpse of it but he knew that there was something out there. He readied himself, suddenly it appeared again! A burning flame briefly uncovered it from the darkness of the sky. As soon as he saw it he fired. A net twisted around in the sky as it headed for its target.

 **"Alright Toothless now that those dragons are heading for the sanctuary let's fly to the cove so we can think of our next course of action,"** Hiccup stated.

 **"Alright then let's go,"** Toothless replied.

Toothless started to fly toward the area where his brother was talking about when a strange sound caught Hiccup's attention. He turned around to see that there was an object heading there way and it was traveling quickly! Hiccup's forest green eyes widen with fear and he tried to warn his brother.

 **"Toothless look-"**

But it was too late, the object hit Toothless and the Night Fury let out a cry of pain. Toothless lost control of his flight and he tumbled downward, he struggled to regain his composure but it wasn't working. His actions were making it difficult for Hiccup to hold onto him, not to mention Hiccup's weight was only weighing Toothless down in his weakened state.

 **"Toothless, control yourself!"**

 **"I'm trying Hiccup!"** Toothless yelled. **"But I can't!"**

Toothless couldn't regain control and he spun around a little as a result. However, fear struck both the brothers as the spinning caused Hiccup's loosened grip to completely give way.

Toothless had dropped Hiccup!

The Night Fury had realized what he had done but he couldn't save Hiccup as his body was constricted by the nets. Hiccup let out a scream as he reached out for his brother.

 **"Toothless!"**

 **"Hiccup!"**

Hiccup continued to fall and the last thing he could think of was his brother and his family back the Dragon Sanctuary. But he refused to believe that this was the end. He wouldn't die! He couldn't die! There was still so much left to do! Hiccup looked down to see that were was water waiting for him, before he entered to the vast ocean he looked at his falling brother one last time.

 **"The cove Toothless! Find me at the cove!"**

With that Hiccup's body was engulfed by the salty water as Toothless fell onto another part of the island. The brothers had been successful in reaching Berk but it was not in the way they had hoped for.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 34**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 ***I do not own the song "For the Dancing and the Dreaming"**

Hiccup could feel his body become a little numb with the coolness of the ocean along with the force of the water. His head started to throb as a result, within seconds his vision was becoming blurry and he couldn't think straight. He wondered if this was the end for him. If so, he felt like such a failure. He couldn't believe his life had come to this and that it was going to end this way.

Despite his confusion, his last thoughts wandered to the dragons he had come to love and care for. The very same dragons who took him in and raised him, the ones who caught him everything he needed to know about each and every one of them. He thought about his father, Cloudjumper, his brother, Toothless, his aunt, Clawdia, and his many friends. He also thought about his home, the Dragon Sanctuary. For sixteen years he called the Dragon Sanctuary his home, the place where it all began for him and the dragons. And interestingly enough, his thoughts about wandered to the girl with blond hair and blue eyes. The girl called Astrid. He was sad and disappointed that he never got to see her again. On that note, he never got to see or meet his real parents either.

He was leaving it all behind.

He closed his evergreen eyes for what he thought would be the last time. The darkness of the ocean started to consume him. Hiccup was now unconscious and helpless. What could he do? He sank deeper into the ocean's depths and the air in his lungs started to leave him as he did so. His body became heavier and the world above him started to disappear. This was truly the end.

Or was it? The ocean seemed to listened to Hiccup's thoughts as the currents started to pick up. They thrashed into each other until they landed on the seashore of Berk. Hiccup's body was limp as it followed the currents path. It was a bumpy ride but it was better than nothing. And so, the ocean carried Hiccup to safety, he was unaware of this though. Within minutes the current managed to get him to the shore, his lower body was still being hit by the current as he laid in the sand and dirt.

Astrid let out a sigh over what just happened in her home. They had just experienced another dragon attack and they lost some stock and materials as a result. And then there was the damage done to their homes and land. She tucked a loose strand of hair away from her face and behind her ear. She was also upset that she would have to go another sleepless night along with the rest of her fellow Vikings. It would be morning within a few hours but during times like this nobody was allowed to sleep. Work couldn't be done if they didn't do so. They would spend so many hours cleaning up and getting everything situated again… only for it to be destroyed the next time dragons decided to attack. It was all a waste in the long run, at least that's how she felt.

Astrid walked towards a fallen weapon on the ground; she picked it up and began to look for any more weapons that could be salvageable in some way. Quickly, she found another weapon and picked it up as well. She made her way through the village and that was when she spotted her parents helping out with the cleaning as well. She smiled at them because she was happy to see that they were alive and uninjured.

"Mother! Father!" she called out to them.

Finnr and Eerika heard the familiar voice of their daughter and they turned to her. Smiles appeared on their faces as well and pride filled their hearts. They were happy to see that she was safe and proud because of that fact as well. Their daughter was a prodigy when it came to fighting and protecting, people tried to tell them that there was no need to worry about them. But as parents it was a natural instinct for them to worry about their daughter, especially when she was their only child. Astrid walked over to them.

"It seems like you're both in good health," Astrid stated.

"As are you," Finnr replied. "That's good."

Astrid nodded her head, that was when she spotted a wooden crate not too far from where her parents were standing. It would make a great place to put all of the weapons she had found, besides her arms were getting heavy and fill from the ones she was already carrying. She excused herself from her parents in order to place them inside the wooden crate, that was when she heard her parents continue with their work.

"I can't believe how destructive those dragons can be," Eerika commented as she kicked away some debris.

"I know Eerika," Finnr responded. "This war has taken a toll on all of us in some way… I worry for you and the younger generation Astrid."

Astrid smiled at her father's concern as she moved the crate away from the debris.

"There's no need to worry Father," Astrid said. "After all we have the older generations to guide us and make sure we are doing everything correctly."

"That may be but if it were up to me I would have you live a life of peace instead of war," Finnr stated.

Eerika nodded in agreement, she too had wanted the same for her daughter.

"In all honesty we were worried about bringing you into this world after I found out I was carrying you in my womb," Eerika commented.

What Eerika said was true, when Finnr and her found out that she was expecting it delighted and scared them at the same time. They didn't know if they were ready to bring a child into this world, not because they were too young but because of the constant battles that took place between their kind and the dragons. This especially was true after their chief lost his own infant child to the other side. Ever since Berk's heir had been taken away, all of the Viking parents did all that they could to protect their own infant children. So far, there had to be another Viking child taken away by the flying beasts. And every Viking was thankful for that.

"All parents want the best for their children," Astrid said.

She knew that feeling, even though she wasn't a parent, she understood how they felt about their children. She had Stoick and Valka to thank for that, the loss of their son affected them deeply. Even after sixteen years, she could still see the heartbreak and sorrow on their faces. But they both grieved in their own way. On one hand, Stoick decided to wage war on the dragons to the point where it was personal and where he was willing to do anything to get revenge on them. Valka, on the other hand, kept to herself and suffered in silence. She still had her gentle personality but the years had obviously taken their toll on her. They loved each other, anyone could see that, and they were united by the loss of their one and only child.

Astrid wondered if that was the reason why they never separated or went their own ways. In some ways, she wanted to be like them when it came to love but at the same time she didn't want to be like them when it came to their heartbreak. She hoped that she would never have to suffer the loss of her child. She would rather lose one of her limbs than lose her baby.

Eerika and Finnr turned to their daughter with looks of pride on their faces and they nodded.

"Even though we wish that you were born under different circumstances, we are very proud of you Astrid. And no matter what happens we always will be," Eerika stated.

"Never forget that my dear daughter," Finnr added.

Astrid nodded and she gave them another gentle smile. Despite all of the terror that was around them, Astrid took comfort over her parents' words. It was good to see that even in dark times there was still light to be found. She only wished that it would last longer but right now they had work to do. Astrid grabbed hold of the wooden cart filled with weapons.

"Well I better get these to Gobber before he throws a fit over not having any salvageable parts," she commented.

"Good idea Astrid, we'll see you later then," Finnr said.

"And be careful dear," Eerika added.

"I will."

With that Astrid started to walk to Gobber's forge, she carried the crate and within minutes she was finally there. She walked to the back and spotted the eccentric Viking, he was busy mumbling to himself while fixing up his hut. It suffered minimal damage but every weapon was now out of place. And there was nothing more than the village wanted to avoid than a grumpy and annoyed Gobber, the man just wouldn't stop moaning and complaining during times like this. It was also a time where he was prone to telling more tales about his history with the dragons and the injuries he had suffered while fighting them. Astrid couldn't help but be amused during times like this.

"Knock, knock," she said since her hands were too full to actually knock.

Gobber stopped mumbling once he saw the familiar sight of his best student. His expression soften and he greeted the girl.

"Well hello there Astrid? What do go got there lass?" he asked.

"Just some weapons that weren't complete damaged by the raid," she said. "I thought we could still use them for later, plus it saves you time from having to make extra weapons for the next time."

Gobber smiled again and he motioned for her to come in. Astrid did so and she placed the crate down on the floor, she then turned to her mentor.

"How bad was it this time?" she questioned.

"The same as before lass," he replied. "That stubborn chief of ours doesn't seem to understand that we're getting nowhere by just fighting these dragons all the time."

Astrid slowly nodded her head in understanding, she knew how the old Viking felt. Nothing would please her and the people more than to put an end to these raids and finally be rid of the dragons. But that was just wishful thinking, they all knew that it would never happen. This was especially true after they aligned themselves with Drago Bludvist and his men.

"But what else can we do?" Astrid asked.

She hoped that maybe Gobber would have an answer, even though he was eccentric he was wise as well. His words had more wisdom and rationale than their chief sometimes. But deep down she knew that not even he had the answer to her question. In all honestly, probably no one could answer her question.

Gobber let out a sigh, he wished he knew. Many years of fighting and the loss of multiple limbs crushed his hopes of this war ever ending. He also thought about his close friend, Stoick. He knew that this war had especially been hard on him. Gobber's wounds were nothing compared to Stoick's wounds, at least that's he always saw it.

"Who knows Astrid," he started. "Maybe one day our answer will fall from the heavens themselves."

Astrid smile and chuckled a little. Leave it to Gobber to make her smile during times like this. That was when another visitor greeted Gobber's forge and it was a familiar face too. It was none other than their chief and he didn't look happy either.

"Stoick," Gobber greeted. "What do I owe the pleasure of you meeting with me so soon after this raid?"

"Your invention," Stoick replied.

At that moment Astrid remembered the invention she had seen the chief carry during the raid. She wondered if there was any success with it, maybe she already had the answer to that though. Judging by the look on the chief's face, she could only assume that it was a waste as well. She only hoped that Gobber wouldn't get a scolding for it.

"How was it?" Gobber said.

"It worked," Stoick stated.

That shocked Astrid and Gobber, they couldn't believe what they had just heard. Did one of Gobber's inventions actually work? But if that was the case then why did Stoick still look so angry?

"I managed to hit the beast," Stoick added. "But it still got away, its body was hurling to the ground inside the forest."

"Did anyone else see it too?" Gobber asked. "If they did then maybe it will help with the capture of it."

Stoick let out a frustrated sigh once Gobber asked that.

"No one was able to catch a glimpse of what it looked like… neither was I," Stoick stated. "But I know it was there. I heard its cries as it was hit, but the darkness covered its presence."

Astrid and Gobber gave the chief puzzled expressions once they heard that. A dragon that no one else saw? They had never of such a thing.

"Stoick," Gobber spoke. "With all due respect but how do you know that you hit of the beasts?"

"I know what I heard!" Stoick exclaimed. "I saw a small part of the beast and that's when I hit it with your invention! I injured the monster!"

Astrid and Gobber were silenced, they knew better than to argue with their leader when he was in one of these moods. Stoick was stubborn by nature, the man never listened to reason when it came to times like this. His thirst for revenge had blinded him over the years. If Stoick said he saw a dragon, then he saw one. No arguing here. And so, Gobber let out a sigh of his own before turned his attention back to his friend.

"Let's send a search party after we're done cleaning up here," Gobber stated. "There's no point in leaving the village in shambles at the moment."

"We should head out now!" Stoick responded.

"But if what you say is true then the dragon was injured during the raid," Gobber argued. "If that's the case then it wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. And the village needs to be restored before we do anything else. We can't possible hold a dragon here while our resources have been damaged."

Astrid heard Gobber's opinion and she agree with it. As much as she wanted to see another dragon in a cell, at the same time the village took priority especially when everyone needed their chief at the moment.

"Not to mention I'm going to have to do a little more redesigning on that invention," Gobber added.

Astrid looked puzzled over that matter, wasn't the point of the invention to bring the dragons down? That was when Astrid voiced her confusion.

"Why Gobber? It seemed to work the way you wanted it to," Astrid interrupted.

Gobber turned to his best student and nodded his head.

"Yes, it was supposed to bring down a dragon but it wasn't meant to hurt them," Gobber said. "Drago made it clear that when we capture dragons, not to hurt them. He needs them to be alive and in pieces. An injured dragon is useless to him."

Stoick listened to Gobber's words and he couldn't help but agree with him. He knew that it wouldn't be good to ignite Drago's temper in anyway. But the father, husband and Viking in him didn't want to care about that. He wanted the dragons to suffer as much as possible before handing them over to Drago. But then there was the chief and leader in him that told him not to go through with it. The last thing he wanted was for any of his people to suffer Drago's wrath for not listening to him.

"Hurting them doesn't matter," Stoick stated in a firm tone. "But I hear your worries and concerns. Drago did say that he wanted them to be as intact as possible."

Gobber looked a little relieved to see that Stoick agreed with him.

"After we clean up here, we will send a search party to go find the beast," Stoick stated. "But in the meantime Gobber, I want you to make more of those inventions for the people to use whenever there is another raid. But make sure they don't harm the dragons in anyway."

"I understand Stoick," Gobber said.

"Good, I'll go retrieve it for you then," Stoick replied. "Carry on then."

With that the Chief of Berk took his leave and went to go back where he spotted the strange beast. He left Gobber alone with Astrid as a result. They stood there is silence for several minutes until Astrid finally spoke.

"I guess I should be going too, I have to make sure that I didn't miss any extra weapons that might be laying around," she stated.

"Go on ahead then lass," Gobber answered. "I'll be waiting for you if you find any. Thank you for your help."

"It's a pleasure Gobber," Astrid said. "I'll see you in a few minutes then."

Gobber nodded and Astrid took her leave. She walked around the village and looked for the spots she hadn't searched at. Along the way her thoughts wandered to the wife of the chief, Valka. She thought about the quiet yet gentle woman. She was a person who deserved so much more than life gave to her and she certainly didn't deserve the sadness that plagues her life and heart. And while she thought of Valka, she also thought about the song the woman had given to her. By this point Astrid had become familiar with the words and she held the tune in both her heart and mind. And so, she whispered to herself as she walked along the village and as she picked up the various weapons that laid around her. She sung the words and she gave the same heartfelt meaning that Valka gave them.

" _I'll swim and sail on savage seas_

 _With ne'er a fear of drowning._

 _And gladly ride the waves of life_

 _If you will marry me."_

Astrid hummed a little as she sung to herself.

" _No scorching sun, nor freezing cold_

 _Will stop me on my journey._

 _If you will promise me your heart._

 _And love me for eternity."_

Astrid founded a small weapon on the ground and quickly picked it up. But her sudden action didn't deter her from the song she was singing.

" _My dearest one, my darling dear,_

 _Your mighty words astound me._

 _But I've no need of mighty deeds_

 _When I feel your arms around me."_

As she sung she picked up some more weapons on the ground and it the brush around the village. She sung and it looked like she was dancing, her movements were graceful and delicate. Some of the villagers took notice but they didn't say anything because they could not hear her singing and they were too busy working on repairing the village. It was certainly something that nobody was used to seeing from Astrid. The Viking teenager didn't notice the stares being directed at her as she continued to move with grace and sing her quiet song to herself.

" _But I would bring you rings of gold,_

 _I'd even sing you poetry!_

 _And I would keep you from all harm_

 _If you would stay beside me!"_

She picked up another fallen weapon and she placed it in her arms. Her arms were growing heavy with the weapons she was now holding but she didn't seem to notice as she kept moving. She was too busy getting lost in the words of the song.

" _I have no use for rings of gold,_

 _I care not for your poetry._

 _I only want your hand to hold..._

 _I only want you near me!"_

As she sang she thought about Valka's story about how she meet Stoick and how they fell in love. She wondered if she would get to know the joys of falling in love with someone. Over the years, no one in the village had captured her interest. But when it came to love and liking someone, there was only one person crossed her mind. It was the boy with the dragon tooth necklace, the very same boy who left her behind so many times. And the same boy who never told her his name. She didn't know why he caused her this much feeling especially when she knew little to nothing about him. Another thing that she could never figure out was why she wanted to see him again. Nevertheless, she kept singing.

" _To love and kiss, to sweetly hold!_

 _For the dancing and the dreaming!_

 _Through all life's sorrows and delights,_

 _I'll keep your love inside me!"_

She was no heading toward the end of the village, near the shoreline that connected them to the vast ocean. Little did she know that her life was about the change the moment she what was on that shoreline. That boy was closer than she thought.

" _I'll swim and sail on savage seas_

 _With ne'er a fear of drowning!_

 _And gladly ride the waves of life_

 _If you will marry me!"_

And with that Astrid finished her song and she had collected an armful of weapons by the time she finished walking to the shoreline of Berk. She smiled a little, whenever she sang that song she couldn't help but feeling happy and content.

 _No wonder Valka sings that song whenever she can, it's the only way she feels at peace with the world._

With that thought in mind, she was about to turn back to the village and walk to Gobber's hut when something caught her eye. She turned around to see something strange coming from the strong waters around Berk. It was still somewhat dark out so she couldn't precisely see what it was. Being both curious and Viking she decided to find out what it was, the last thing she wanted was for it to be a dragon or other kind of threat.

She placed all of the weapons down on the ground with the expectation of an axe. It was the same axe that she received on her fourteen birthday. Another thing that made the axe special to her was that it used to belong to her mother before it got passed onto her, she carried it in the belt around her waist. She carefully pulled it out and cautiously started to walk toward the strange figure in the dark. She walked as quietly as she could, as she got closer the figure started to have more of a prominent form and shape. She felt huge relief when she saw that it wasn't a dragon, she didn't want the village to suffer any more than they already had.

But her relief soon turned to despair once she saw that it was a Viking!

"A person," she gasped under her breath. "A boy."

She thought that it might have been one of their own since the person was wearing armor and he was lying face down. She thought that a dragon might have attacked him in some way. With that in mind she placed her axe away and ran to him. She carefully and gently leaned down next to the strange boy and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," she called out. "Are you alright?"

But the boy didn't answer. That was when she took a more careful look at the person that laid before her. She saw that he was indeed wearing armor but a closer look showed that it was different from theirs. It was all black and had some strange features that she had never seen on other Viking armors. That was when something peculiar and familiar caught her eye. She felt like her heart stopped beating once she saw something he hadn't seen in years.

She broke out into a cold sweat as she saw that it was a dragon tooth necklace. Her thoughts started go crazy with the possibilities.

 _But that's impossible! There's no way! There's only one dragon tooth necklace I've seen… and it's… it's…_

"It can't be," she whispered. "It just can't."

Her body started to shake a little as she placed her hand on his shoulders and slowly started to turn him around. She soon had her answer as she gasped once she saw his face. Despite it being some time since they had last seen each she could tell who he was, he still had his brown hair and a light dust of freckles still decorated his cheeks. And she was more than certain that he had green eyes under those closed eyelids. There was no mistaking it. It was the boy with the dragon tooth necklace. She couldn't believe it and yet here he was. After all these years he was back.

That was when she turned her attention to the water hitting his legs, she noticed that the water was getting stronger with every thrash. She knew that another current could send him back into the ocean and she would never see him again. She couldn't let that happen, now that he was back she wouldn't let him go! She grabbed hold of his shoulders and pulled him away from the water and to the grass.

Hiccup was now officially on Berk's land and he wasn't awake to realize it yet.

Astrid managed to get him away from the water and she then leaned next to him again. She quickly noticed that he was all wet and that he looked like he wasn't breathing. She started to panic as she placed her head over his heart, she pleaded with the heavens prove to her that he was alive. However, her fears were quickly extinguished once she felt the slow but lively heartbeat. That was when she took quick action to make sure that it stayed that way. She placed her hands over his chest and started to push. She had learned this maneuver for Gothi, the healer of the village. It came in handy when someone wasn't breathing.

"Come on, come on," Astrid stated. "You can't die, I won't let you."

Astrid kept up the trick until something happened. The boy started to cough and water came out of his mouth. She let out a surprised yet happy gasp, that was when she called for help.

"Someone! Anyone get Gothi!" she yelled. "We have a Viking down!"

The entire village stopped what they were doing once they heard Astrid's voice, they were confused as well. They weren't aware that anyone had been injured during the raid. But to hear someone say otherwise had them all worried. They all started to run toward Astrid while others ran to Gothi's house to alert her of the injured person.

Meanwhile, Astrid turned her attention back to the boy. He was coughing some more and more water came out as a result. She used the maneuver again and helped with the process of getting the water out of his body.

"Stay with me!" Astrid exclaimed. "You have to stay with me!"

 _There's still so much I don't know about you. And now that you're here, I'm not going to let you go until I get some answers. I can't let you go!_

That was when some of the villagers gathered around her and they all gasped as they saw the new Viking. They had never seen him before and he certainly stood out from the crowd. However, despite all of that there was still something familiar about the boy. His presence felt familiar and yet they couldn't place their finger on it. That was when Spitelout Jorgensen kneeled next to Astrid and the strange boy.

"What's wrong with him?" he asked.

"I think he was in the water," Astrid stated. "I found him near the shore and he's trying to cough out all of the water in his body."

The boy coughed some more in response and his eyes fluttered open for a little bit, all he saw was blurry figures before they closed again. He was just too tired to fight anything at this moment especially when he didn't have his brother by his side. He coughed one last time before falling back into unconsciousness. Astrid placed her head on his chest again, this time she heard a stronger heartbeat than she did before. She smiled a little but she knew that he wasn't out of the woods yet, he was started to shiver a little. This was no surprise since he was wet and they were approaching the cooler months. The cold air was beginning to get to him. He needed real help but with an actual healer. That was when Spitelout spoke, and thankfully he shared her concerns.

"Let's get him to Gothi," Spitelout said. "Now."

Astrid nodded in agreement, Spitelout took the new Viking into his arms and he started to run with him to Gothi's hut. Astrid followed him as he made his way there, the rest of the people started to follow them. As they did, they gossiped amongst each other. They were talking about the strange boy and where he possibly came from. He certainly wasn't a part of their village. If that was the case then where did he come from? There were so many questions and no one had the answers.

All of the noise inside the village was starting to reach the inside of Gobber's forge. By this time Stoick had returned to his friend's forge with Gobber's invention and they were busy discussing what improvements could be made to it. That was when they heard the noise coming from outside. That caught both of their attentions as they walked to see what was happening. Stoick was the first to voice his confusion.

"What's with all the commotion?" Stoick asked.

One of the young teenagers, named Fishlegs, heard Stoick's question and stopped running in order to address it.

"There's an injured Viking chief!" Fishlegs stated. "Astrid found him near the water."

That puzzled the two men, they looked at each other before turning back to Fishlegs.

"An injured Viking?" Stoick questioned.

"Near the water?" Gobber added.

"Yes sir, he's heading towards Gothi's hut right now," Fishlegs said. "He's a very strange looking Viking too, he doesn't look like any of us."

With that Fishlegs began to run to Gothi's hut along with everyone else. The chief and blacksmith ran with the crowd in order to see the Viking for themselves. They were able to easily pass the rest of the people due to the fact that they always opened the way for their leader. They reached Gothi's hunt just in time to see Astrid enter alongside the injured Viking, he was being carried by Spitelout Jorgenson.

It was only for a second but he spotted the boy. He had brown hair and he could see that there were some freckles on his face. His face was somewhat pale and his armor was different compared to theirs. He looked so peaceful as he was carried inside. But nevertheless, he found himself drawn to the boy. For some reason he felt compelled to get the boy he help he needed.

However, they as they got closer they saw that Gothi was standing outside and she was motioning for people to back off. She didn't want all of these people to come into her home especially when she had to tend to an injured person. That was when she spotted the chief and blacksmith of their village. She motioned for them to come forward. Stoick walked to the healer along with his closest friend, he looked inside the hut to see the boy being placed on the bed. Astrid and Spitelout saw the chief

"Gothi," Stoick addressed. "If there is a Viking in there then please tend to him."

Gothi smiled and she nodded. Stoick then turned to look at the people who brought him here.

"In the meantime, Spitelout and Astrid please come out so Gothi can properly treat him," he added. "And everyone else, go home or help with the clean of the village."

Everyone listened to their chief and they started to do as he asked. Everyone but Astrid move. She was hesitant to leave the boy's side, she didn't want him to leave as soon as he woke up. She was determined to make sure that he was fine but that he stayed here long enough for her to talk to him again. But she knew that she couldn't make herself look suspicious in this situation. She couldn't let anyone know that she knew this person and that she had already met him twice before. If that was the case then everyone would question why she never brought him up before and if that happened they would probably think that he's some sort of threat. And if there was one thing she knew about this boy it was that he wasn't a threat to this village or to her. So, for now she would play along until the right moment.

"Yes sir," Spitelout replied.

"Alright chief," Astrid added.

The two exited Gothi's hut and the small old woman went inside to treat her newest patient. She closed the door behind her and got to work.

Astrid watched as the door was closed and she caught one last glimpse of the boy sleeping before he was gone in a second. She still couldn't believe that he was finally here after all these years. The last time she had seen the boy was when she promised not to tell the village of his presence. And despite how young they were at the time, she intended to keep that promise. She wouldn't tell anyone about him.

 _I'm glad you're alive and that you're safe after all these years of wondering what happened to you. We're you thinking about me too during that time? Do you still remember me? Will you tell me more about yourself during your stay here?_

She wondered all of these questions as she walked away from Gothi's hut.

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	35. Chapter 35

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 35**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Toothless stirred a little, he felt his whole body ache. He suffered quite a fall and he had the net around his body to prove that. His wings were caught in a trap and his tail was hurting like crazy. He didn't understand what had happened. He was fine, he was with his brother and he was saving dragons… then all of a sudden he was falling! He supposed he had a Viking to thank for that though. And that was when he remembered something.

 **"Hiccup!"** Toothless yelled.

He tried again.

 **"Hiccup!"**

And again.

 **"Hiccup!"**

No matter how many time he called out to his brother, he got no answer.

 **"So it's true then, Hiccup fell!"** he stated. **"I can't believe I let him get hurt, he could be anywhere here then."**

As for Toothless was alone and he was on Berk, that wasn't good. He knew that it wouldn't be long before someone came to find him here. The Vikings would kill him and that would make his brother alone here as well. He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let that happen.

And that was when he remembered the last words his brother had said to him as they were separated from each other. He recalled how Hiccup wanted him to meet him at the cove, the place where it all started here on Berk. After all these years he knew where it was, how could he forget about it? He would never forget about that place. And now he had to get to it again… but first he had to get out of these ropes. He moved his muscles and tried his best to untangle himself from the ropes, but his body still ached. He flinched from the pain and he laid back down on the ground.

 **"Everything hurts,"** Toothless commented.

The young Night Fury just stayed where he was for a couple of minutes and then he remembered that he couldn't stay here. He had to get away and go to the cove. If he didn't go now then he would be found, and he didn't have the advantage at the moment especially when his brother wasn't with him. And so with that knowledge he tried again but this time he had a better idea.

Dragons were naturally fire proof on the outside but not on the inside. He knew that he could use that to his advantage as he prepared himself for what he was about to do. Despite his weakness at the moment he readied his plasma blast. He fired a quick shot at the ropes, within seconds the ropes disintegrated while his body remained intact. He was free!

 **"Now time to get to the cove,"** he whispered.

He stretched his wings and he tried to fly. He was able to get only a few inches in the air when he fell back down on the ground. He was confused by the action, he tried again and once again he fell back on the ground.

 **"What the?"** he asked.

That was when he felt a pain in his tail, he turned around to see the cause and his heart broke. He finally understood the reason why he couldn't fly properly. He was missing the left side of his tail fin! Anger, sadness, hatred, pain… he was feeling all of that at the same time. He couldn't believe that he was now missing a part of himself, literally. And now he was losing another part of himself as well. Every part of a dragon's body was necessary and this was no expectation.

But he had no time to grieve, at least not at the moment. Right now he had to leave and quickly.

 **"I have to get to the cove, no matter how much it hurts… I have to get there."**

With new determination he started to use his wings. It hurt but he still did it, he managed to lift himself off the ground as he started to fly. This time he managed to get a few feet of the ground instead of a few inches. The Night Fury started to fly away into the direction of the cove. He flew and bumped into the trees, brush and rocks. His body was now aching even more but he still kept going. After a while he was able to avoid the vegetation around him. He was finally able to stop leaving any signs that he was there. After a few minutes he finally saw the cove and he dove into it, he didn't even care that he was about to hit the ground. He was there and he was away from the Vikings sight. He was safe, for now… at least until he found his brother. Or maybe until Hiccup found him.

Toothless was drained out. First he had flown all the way from the Dragon Sanctuary to Berk, then he got attacked by the Vikings and now he was missing both his tail fin and his brother. He deserved some time to rest before anything else happened.

 **"I don't care what Hiccup says, if I find the Viking that did this to me I'm going to make him wish he was born as a dragon, then he'll regret not being strong enough to stop me from destroying him."**

He brought his tail in front of himself and a sorrowful look appeared on his face. He still couldn't believe it was gone. What had he done that was so bad to deserve this? How was he going to explain this to Hiccup? And most importantly how was he going to get home now? He was useless now that he couldn't fly. Tears welled up in his eyes and he silently cried. His life had come to this and what could he do now? He managed to cry himself to exhaustion and his whole body felt weak once again.

 **"I guess I should rest a little,"** he said. **"Maybe I'll feel better after a quick sleep."**

Despite saying that, he knew that nothing could make him feel better about this. He would just have to deal with it until his brother came for him. But he couldn't stop thinking about the future now, how were he and Hiccup going to bring the world together when he was like this? He never felt like such a failure before in his life.

 _ **I'm sorry Hiccup and I'm sorry Dad… I'm sorry to everyone at the Dragon Sanctuary. In the end it looks like I can't do anything.**_

He shivered a little from the cool wind and so he burned the ground around him to keep himself warm and to comfort him as well. He then rested on the ground and started to close his eyes. His acid green eyes were now covered by his eyelids and his breathing evened out. Even though he was resting, his spirit was in turmoil. Nothing felt right anymore especially not this. He wished Hiccup was here, he wished he had his brother here with him. But he wasn't and for that he was sad and he grieved.

Within hours the night started to disappear and the sun came out from its hiding place. It shined it's warmth on the island known as Berk especially to the village.

Despite being told to stay away from the Gothi's hut, Astrid couldn't help it. After bringing the boy here, she went back to her house and she was able to get some sleep. But then she woke up as early as she could without worrying anyone or causing any suspicions. There were some Vikings out during this time so she didn't have to concern herself with these worries. She greeted some of them as she slowly made her way to Gothi's hut. A part of her wanted to just go inside but she didn't want to bother Gothi.

"Just go in," Astrid whispered. "It'll be fine."

She was about to knock but then recoiled.

"But what if Gothi gets suspicious?"

She backed away a little from the hut.

"But what if the boy leaves?"

She got closer to the door.

"But I can't just barge in?"

She turned around and took small steps away from the hut.

"Maybe I should just wait."

She stopped taking the steps and turned to look back at the house.

"But that's not how things get done."

She started to walk back to the door.

"But you were taught better Astrid."

She stopped once again and let out a frustrated sigh, she ran a hand through her blonde hair.

"Oh why is this so hard?"

She was so conflicted at the moment that she started to pace around the hut for a little while. After a few minutes she gave up agreeing with herself and decided to just wait for something to happen.

Meanwhile, inside her hut Gothi tended to the wounded. She had removed the armor that was on his chest to make sure that he suffered no other injuries. However, she was surprised to see that the boy had many old scars and scratches, they were all white lines on his light skin. Even for a Viking he still had too many old wounds. She thought that was strange but she ignored it as she went to fix the young man a cup of medicine.

She went to the kitchen of her house and poured some hot water in a cup. Once that was done she reached for a jar of herbs, she picked out some leaves out and placed them into a bowl. She then took a small rock and started to crush them until they were nothing but dust and small pieces. Then she poured the remains of the herbs into the hot cup of water, she mixed the herbs using a spoon and finally it was done. And it looked like she had made it just in time because she heard some moans coming from the other room. She quickly ran over to her patient's side to see the young man stirring a little, his eyes started to flutter open. She saw that his mouth was moving and strange words or sounds were emitting from it. She had heard many strange languages during her lifetime, but she had heard nothing like this before.

 **"Toothless…"**

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	36. Chapter 36

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 36**

"speaking"- human language

" **speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Hiccup started to stir and he felt a dull ache throughout his body. He wanted his brother, but he remembered that the last time he saw him was when they were falling out of the sky. He hoped that it wasn't true, he called out to him.

 **"Toothless…"**

To his surprise he felt something take hold of his hand as he spoke, but he immediately knew that something was wrong. It wasn't Toothless, the hand was too soft and small. Who was it then if that was the case? He stirred some more and then he felt the same thing on his forehead. He had to wake up.

His forest green eyes fluttered open and he was met with a blurry figure, he brought his hands to his eyes and rubbed them a little. Immediately his vision cleared and he was greeted by the sight of an unfamiliar person. He let out a small gasp as a result.

She was an older woman who had a short stature with a hunch on her back. She also had thick gray hair that was wavy. She didn't look like a threatening person but Hiccup knew that looks could sometimes be deceiving.

She reached out to him and he flinched back, but he immediately regretted it since he awakened the pain with the sudden movements. He let out a small scream as a result. That was when the old woman came close to him again, only this time she held her hands out in a peaceful manner. She was trying to show him that she wasn't a threat. She was about to put a hand on him when her door opened suddenly.

Both Gothi and Hiccup were greeted by the sight of a familiar girl. The girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, the very same girl he hadn't seen in years. His eyes widen as a result, it was Astrid. He was both happy and nervous to see her. He was happy to see her since that meant that he was on Berk and not at an unknown location. But then he was nervous because this wasn't how he had been planning on seeing her again. He had hoped that it would have been under better and different circumstances. But now that he was alone and with no idea on where his brother was, he didn't want to see her. However, she seemed to have other plans.

"Gothi!" Astrid exclaimed. "Is everything alright?"

Hiccup couldn't help but share his shock as he spoke in his dragon tongue.

 **"Astrid!"**

But as soon as he said that he remembered Astrid's annoyance to his native language. Plus he also recalled that none of the humans could understand him. And at this point he didn't want to give them any reason to be suspicious of them. He was about to speak again, this time in his human tongue, when Astrid beat him to it.

"Did something happen Gothi?" Astrid asked. "I was just on my way to see how he was doing when I heard the scream."

Hiccup blushed a little once he heard that, she came to see him? She knew that he was here? How?

Gothi went to her and spoke using her hands and facial expressions, Astrid just stood there and nodded her head every once and a while. Hiccup was amazed and fascinated with the silent conversation that seemed to be occurring between the two. He wondered if this was how people would see him if they spotted him talking to a dragon with his other language. If so, then he really should keep it to himself. He had to avoid slipping to his dragon tongue at any cost. He recalled that Drago managed to figure out his secret based on hearing him speak, the last thing he wanted was for someone else to figure it out too. The only human who was aware of his ability beside Drago and his men was Astrid, and it looked like she had never told anyone else about it. At least he hoped that's how it looked like.

"I see," Astrid said. "Well that's make sense Gothi, after all he's a stranger in a new land."

Gothi nodded her head and she then motioned to the kitchen.

"Okay, well you go to the kitchen and get him the medicine. I'll keep an eye on him," Astrid stated.

Gothi nodded and went other room while it was Hiccup and Astrid. There was an awkward silence between the two teenagers, Hiccup gulped and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Astrid, on the other hand, just nervously rubbed her arm with her other hand. They both looked anxious and there was a small hint of blush on their faces. After so many years the two were finally reunited and this time they were all grown up. But what could they say to each other?

Strangely enough it was Hiccup who broke the tension.

"Hey," he said. "Long time no see."

Despite being somewhat mad at him for leaving all those years ago, she didn't want to ruin this moment. And she most definitely didn't want their reunion to start off on bad terms. However, she still voiced her opinion in a more gentle way.

"Well it's not like you ever told me where you were going the last time," Astrid replied.

Hiccup felt a little guilt over that statement, but he had no choice in the matter. If it were up to him he would want to stay with Astrid. But if he did that then he would be leaving behind his dragon family and he couldn't do that, especially when he was the first human who had been given the life he had with them. Plus, it's not like he could have told her the truth. They were just children when they first met and then there was the fact that she was a Viking. But despite that, he found himself attached and attracted to the girl. He had never seen another human like her before.

"Yeah," Hiccup admitted. "Sorry about that."

That was really all he could say that this point. Astrid looked like she was about to respond to that statement when they heard footsteps, they knew that it was Gothi. Astrid quickly looked at Hiccup and gave him her warnings.

"Before Gothi comes back in I have to let you know something, well two things actually," Astrid stated. "Just be quiet and listen, got it?"

Hiccup nodded his head, she was the only person he trusted at this point.

"One, don't speak in that strange language when you're around the people here," Astrid said. "And two, I never told the people about you so you have to act like you don't know me. Understand?"

Hiccup just nodded again, he understood her points and he couldn't argue with them. Plus, Astrid was his only chance of survival here. That was when the old woman came back from the kitchen with a cup filled with medicine. She walked over to Hiccup and gently held the cup out to him, Hiccup looked confused over the sudden action. Why wasn't the woman speaking? Astrid apparently saw this and spoke.

"She wants you to take it," she said. "It's medicine to help you recover from your ordeal. Don't worry Gothi here is our village healer and wise woman."

Hiccup looked somewhat comforted by those words and he eased up a little.

"Oh," Hiccup simply said. "Um… okay… thank you."

He slowly took the cup and brought it closer to him, he immediately noticed that it was warm and that it looked like a light green color. It reminded him a little of Toothless's eyes, he quickly pushed the thought aside as he took a quick sniff of the liquid. It smelled funny but Astrid did say that it was just medicine, and he didn't want the old woman to grow suspicious of him if he didn't drink it. And so, he brought it to his lips and slowly drank the liquid. Despite the strong smell, the taste was actually very mellow and not as bad as he thought it would be. He finished the drink as quickly as he could so he could learn more about the situation he was in. Once he was done he took a deep breath and gently handed the cup back to the old woman. He actually felt his body start to relax and the pain was beginning to fade away. He looked at the woman and gave her a small smile.

"Thank you… Gothi was it?" Hiccup asked.

The woman smiled and nodded. That was when Gothi did some more silent gestures but once again Hiccup didn't understand what she was trying to say. That was when Astrid spoke up.

"She welcomes you to Berk," Astrid stated. "She also says that you took quite a dip in the ocean, when we found you your body and armor was all wet and soaked. That's why she took off your armor."

When she said that Hiccup finally realized that he wasn't wearing his chest armor and he immediately covered up. Astrid seemed to realize this as well as she turned away until he was covered by the blankets. Gothi silently chuckled a little over their actions and she spoke using her hands again.

"She says that she wants you to rest a little before anyone else comes to see you" Astrid said.

"Anyone else?" Hiccup questioned.

Gothi nodded and she gave Astrid a look, the teenage girl understood what she was trying to say.

"Yes, I think she means the chief," Astrid replied. "Right Gothi?"

The village healer nodded. Immediately a nervous look appeared on Hiccup's face, Gothi saw this and she did her best to ease his worries. She could understand why he would be nervous about something like this. After all, he wasn't from around here and he didn't know the people here as a result. She spoke to Astrid using her motions and expressions.

"I see, you're right though Gothi," Astrid commented.

"What?" Hiccup asked. "What did she say?"

"She says that the chief will want to speak with you in order to find out where you came from and how we can get you back to your home," Astrid said. "The chief did seem worried about you when he saw you last night."

"He did?" Hiccup inquired.

"Yes, despite our chief's stubbornness he really does care about his people and about Vikings in general," Astrid commented. "You're no different than any other Viking here I suppose."

Hiccup wished he could tell her how untrue that statement, he wasn't like other Vikings because he wasn't a Viking at all. He was a human yes but not a normal human. He was a human born with the soul of a dragon. But of course he couldn't tell her that and so he just went along with it.

"Really? Well that's very hospitable of him," Hiccup replied. "I guess I have no choice then. I will meet with the chief."

Gothi nodded and she motioned for Astrid, the young girl turned to her and she listened to what Gothi had to say.

"She says she wants me to tell the chief that you are awake but that she doesn't want anyone to bother you for today at least. She also wants me to tell the chief to meet with you tomorrow instead," Astrid explained.

Hiccup was somewhat comforted by that fact, at least he had some time to get his story together before he meet with the leader of Berk.

"I guess I'll go do that then," Astrid said. "In the meantime get your rest."

Before Astrid was about to leave she was stopped by the old woman. She looked confused as Gothi motioned to her and then to Hiccup. Hiccup looked just as confused as well. That was when Astrid forgot one crucial detail about their greeting, the introduction. She was actually excited for it though since now she would finally know the boy's name. No longer would he be the boy with the dragon tooth necklace, the same one he sported around his neck at the moment, instead he would have a real name.

"Oh you're right Gothi, I haven't introduced myself to him," Astrid corrected. "You already met Gothi here and my name is Astrid, Astrid Hofferson. What's yours?"

 _Maybe now I can get a real name out of him._

Hiccup froze in his place. He didn't know what to say to her, he couldn't give her his real name. He knew his history here with the people and he knew that somewhere here were his real parents. If word got out what his real name was then it would cause an uproar. He couldn't let that happen, but he had to think of a name. But what name would work? He thought about all the people and dragons he came across in his life. He had to give them a name that would be believable. And within seconds he had his new name.

"Cloudless. My name is Cloudless."

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	37. Chapter 37

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 37**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

 **Hi everyone! I hope you're having a good day; I just want y'all to know that I have created a GoFundMe page for a close friend of my family because she is in danger of losing her house. Also if anyone has a social media account please don't hesitate to share this with your friends.**

 **Please take the time to check out the page, any donation would help. Thank you all and God bless.**

 **It's called "Help Me Save My Home"- Guadalupe Perez**

 **Enjoy the new chapter!**

"Cloudless?" Astrid questioned.

The blonde girl looked puzzled as did Gothi; they had never heard such a strange name before. Hiccup felt a slight hint of blush decorate his face but it was too late to take back the name. He wondered if Toothless would make fun of him if he were here. The Night Fury always mocked the names he came up with; he didn't think that it was weird though. In a way it was honoring his father and his brother, the two most important figures in his life. Cloudjumper and Toothless make Cloudless.

Not to mention he came from a family of dragons; there were a lot of strange names there too. The Vikings were no different in his opinion; he had heard a lot of strange Viking names over the years. He always wondered which ones were sillier, Viking or dragon.

"Yeah," he stated.

Astrid looked at the book and she couldn't help but smirk a little.

 _Well at least I finally have a name. And just like him, it's a strange one._

"Okay," she said. "Well it's very nice to meet you Cloudless, welcome to Berk."

Hiccup smiled back and was thankful that she didn't question it. With that the teenage girl looked at the old woman and spoke.

"Gothi, I'm going to head to the chief's house to let me know," Astrid stated.

Gothi nodded her head and Astrid took her leave. She tried to not let the excitement and joy consume her face as she made her way to the chief's residence. She couldn't believe that after all these years she finally had a name to the boy. She now had something to call him, she felt as if she had just made some progress with him. Maybe now she would get more answers out of him. There was so much she wanted to know about the boy and now that he was here, it was the perfect opportunity. She just hoped that his stay would be for a while; she didn't want him to leave so soon like he had done the previous times before. Within minutes she finally reached the chief's home and knocked on the door.

Inside the chief's house were a man and wife sitting in their living room. A warm fire was lit inside the fire place due to the cold weather they had been experiencing lately. Stoick was sharpening an axe while Valka was busy doing some needlework. And that was when a knock at their door caught their attention. Stoick immediately stood up and opened the door. It was Astrid.

"Astrid," Stoick greeted. "What brings you here?"

Astrid stood as composed as she could be as she faced her leader.

"Gothi told me to tell you that the boy is awake," Astrid replied.

That caught the chief's attention as well as his wife's. Valka had been told about the strange visitor to the island. She had been worried about him just as much as her husband. She hadn't seen the boy but she had been told by her husband that he looked to be around the same age as Astrid and that he had brown hair and freckles. But that was all he knew and all he could tell her, the boy was rushed to Gothi's as soon as possible. Valka knew how stubborn the old woman could be when it came to taking care of people and that was why she didn't question the boy's safety. She knew that he would be in good hands when Gothi was around. Nevertheless, she stopped doing her needlework and walked over to her husband's side, she took the next question right out of his mouth.

"How is he?" she asked

Astrid turned to the woman and gave her the best answer she could at this point.

"He's… adjusting," Astrid stated. "He's as healthy as he can be, he's just nervous since this is a new place to him."

Astrid couldn't believe that she was lying to the faces of the chief and his wife, but she knew better. She knew that there was a reason why she had to do this. If anyone found out that this boy had been here before, who knows what they would do to him. Despite not knowing much about him, Astrid knew that she didn't want him to get hurt. So for now, she would put on an act. She quickly said the next part of her statement.

"Gothi also said for there to be no visitors today, she wants him to rest as much as possible before anyone visits with him," Astrid added.

Stoick looked disappointed with that, he had been hoping to meet with the boy as soon as possible. He would like to know more about where he came from and how he got here… and if he had any family. After losing his child, he couldn't stand the thought of another family losing theirs as well. And that was why he would make sure that the boy was treated with respect during his stay here on Berk. And that applied to him as well, he would respect Gothi's order and respect the boy's time for healing.

"I know how thick headed she can be," Stoick commented.

Valka smiled at her husband and gently nudged him a little.

"She's not the only one dear," Valka replied as she gave her husband a playful look.

Despite the situation Stoick gave his wife a quick and genuine smile. Astrid couldn't help but think how adorable the couple looked as they interacted with each other. She hoped that she would have that someday as well; hopefully it will be during a time where all of this madness will finally be over. She could dream about that at least.

"But she did say that you can speak with him tomorrow," Astrid said.

The look on Stoick's face brighten a little once she said that and he gave her smile.

"Alright then, I shall meet with this young Viking tomorrow," he agreed. "Thank you for your report Astrid."

The young girl nodded her head and she took her leave. She left the couple together and she headed back home. They watched her do so before turning to each other. There was a serious expression on Valka's face as she turned to her husband.

"Stoick, you have every intention of returning this boy back to his home right?" Valka questioned.

"Of course Valka, it will be my top priority. But first I must speak with him in order to make that happen," Stoick stated. "I must know how he got here if there is any hope in returning him to his home."

Valka simply nodded her head and then she caught a glimpse of Gothi's hut at a faraway distance. She knew that inside the hut was now a new occupant for the time being. She wondered if she could visit the boy after her husband was done greeting him. Maybe he would open up to her if he didn't do so with Stoick.

"That poor boy, his family must be worried sick about him," she commented.

Stoick understood her statement. What family wouldn't be worried about their relative if something like this happened to them?

"I'm sure they are, but at least he is safe," Stoick added. "I promise that he will return to his home safe and sound."

Valka smiled at her husband and she leaned him as well. Stoick held her before they walked back inside to return to what they were doing. Stoick would have no choice but to wait until tomorrow to speak with the newcomer. He just hoped that the boy wasn't a threat.

The day went by as it usually did. Everything was as it should be. However, throughout the day there were whispers and gossip about the newcomer. Everyone couldn't help but be curious about the strange boy; they wondered who he was and what he was doing here. Astrid choose to stay out of these talks, she just kept to herself and ignored them all. Out of all the rumors, the one that bothered her the most was the one where the boy was sent from Drago. Some assumed that he was a spy sent to make sure that they were collecting dragons. She knew that it wasn't true, she knew the boy better than them. But much to her relief, others quickly dismissed this rumor due to the fact that the boy didn't have any signs of being a part of Drago's army such as tattoos or symbols.

Night soon fell over Berk. Astrid went about her usual activities before retiring to bed, as she laid on her bed her thoughts wandered to the boy. It felt so strange and surreal to have him so close to her now. She still couldn't believe that after all these years that he was finally here on her homeland. She just hoped that it would stay like that for a little while longer, just until she figured out a few things. But then her mind filled with worry as she thought about tomorrow. Tomorrow the chief would meet up with him and talk to him. She hoped that he answered correctly and that he didn't give anything away. Most importantly, she hoped that her chief would allow for him to stay as long as he needed to. That was all she wanted at this point. With this in mind, she went to sleep… but even her dreams were filled with the strange boy. The boy who now had a name, Cloudless.

Meanwhile, back at Gothi's hut Hiccup was resting on the bed provided to him. The old healer had fed him and allowed for him to bathe himself in the other room. Thankfully she wasn't in the room when he was bathing himself; he would feel very uncomfortable if she did. He had never seen other humans naked before and he had never allowed one to see him naked either. When he was younger he only wore a lion cloth but he never considered himself fully naked when he wore it. But now it was different, now he was literally surrounded by humans and their customs. He knew that he had to adapt to his surroundings if he was going to convince the people that he was not a threat, it was also a way to gain their trust.

But he knew the first thing he was going to do while here. He was going to search for Toothless, he had to find him. He couldn't do this without him. He had to go to the cove the first chance he got, he hoped it would be soon. But he doubted that anyone in the village would take their eyes off him for the first few days. He let out a sigh and prayed that his brother was at least alive.

Hiccup stared at the ceiling and he thought about the Night Fury he had called his brother for the last sixteen years. It would soon be seventeen with the next year. Where was he? Was he safe? Did he even make it to the cove? Did he even hear Hiccup saying that? There were so many questions buzzing around in his head and he didn't have the answer to any one of them.

And so he closed his eyes and he prayed that his brother was safe somewhere on this strange land. He also hoped that he would see him again… soon. He spoke using his dragon tongue one more time before finally allowing sleep to take him.

 **"Wherever you are Toothless, I hope you're okay."**

Hiccup rested and he took comfort in the fact that none of the people of Berk had tried to hurt him in anyway. He was thankful for their help but he had a feeling that would soon change with the coming days. After all, the reason why he was here was to stop the war. He just hoped that he would have Toothless by his side when that time came.

As he slept, he dreamed of his home and he dreamed of the family and friends that awaited him at the Dragon Sanctuary. He dreamed of the past, the days where he was a baby with his hatchling brother by his side. He dreamed of the years that had passed as they grew up into teenagers. He also dreamed about the many friends he had acquired over the years due to his brothers and his efforts to save them. And most importantly, he dreamed of his father. He dreamed of the days where Cloudjumper, Toothless and him would travel into the outside world and explore the unknown. A small smile spread across Hiccup's face as his dreams kept him company until the morning.

Hours went by and the sun slowly rose up, the light decorated the sky and it touched the island of Berk. One by one its rays awoke the people and one by one they started to go about their morning routines. There was one house in particular that the sun was shining on though; it was the home of the Chief of Berk and his wife.

Stoick could feel the warmth of the sun's rays hit him and he stirred a little before finally opening his eyes. He let out a loud yawn and stretched his muscles; he turned to look at his wife. Valka was still sleeping; a peaceful look was on her face. He didn't have the heart to disturb her. Valka always looked so peaceful while she slept; it was the only time where she could escape the heartbreak of reality. Sometimes he wished that she would stay that way forever, that way she wouldn't have to remember their loss. Before he got out of bed he placed a gentle kiss on her head and then, as quietly as he could, he made his way to get ready for the day. He was in a rush today due to his obligation as chief to meet with any newcomers. He was very eager to meet the boy and within minutes he was ready to do so. He made his way to Gothi's hut.

Hiccup stared out the window with a cup of warm tea in his hands; on the table beside him were a bowl of soup and a small loaf of bread. Gothi had prepared him some breakfast for him; he assumed that it was to help him regain more of his strength. He was grateful for it since he hadn't had too much to eat yesterday because of the craziness. It was strange though, he wasn't used to food like this. The dragons ate whatever they could find, most of the time the ingredients were raw. His father or brother or one of the other dragons would normally roast the raw meat they gave to him and sometimes he would forge some fruit from the plants and brush that grew in the Dragon Sanctuary. Not only that but water was his main source of nourishment when it came to drinks. He wasn't picky though since that was the food he grew up with. He recalled times where he and his brother would steal Viking food whenever they went outside, it was the only times where he got a true taste of Viking civilization. He took a sip of the tea before bringing the bowl of soup to him; he ate the contents slowly as Gothi walked over to him.

The old woman gazed upon him; it was as if she was trying to see how he liked it. He could tell that she was doing this because she wanted to make sure that there were no other injuries sustained. It was also to make sure that his appetite was stable. Hiccup turned to her and spoke using the language Astrid had warned him to use.

"It's good," he said. "Very good, thank you."

With that Gothi smiled and she gently patted his shoulder. That was when there was a knock at the door. Gothi turned her attention to it and she walked over to the entrance of her home. Hiccup felt his heart beat faster as she did so; he knew that he would be expecting the chief at any moment now. Despite everything that had happened to him, he was still nervous about meeting the people here. The only person he felt that he truly liked and trusted was Astrid. And so far she had kept her promise to him, she hadn't told anyone about him or his previous visits here at Berk. He just hoped he was prepared to handle her whenever she came back to see him. He knew that she would have just as much questions as anyone else here. But for now, he maintained his composure and ate his meal.

Gothi opened the door to reveal the presence of the chief, he stood tall and proud as she gazed upon him. The man looked down at her and spoke using a somewhat quiet tone.

"Gothi, is he here?" he asked.

The old woman nodded her head and pointed behind her before using gestures to speak.

"I see, well it's good to hear that he's doing well," Stoick stated. "Has he spoken about himself?"

Gothi shook her head and silently spoke using her hands. Stoick nodded his head in understanding before turning his attention inside the hut.

"May I speak with him now?" he questioned.

Gothi turned around to look at her patient one more time before turning back to the chief. She nodded her head but she also gestured at him.

"I understand, I will not do anything to interfere with his health. I just want to ask him some questions," Stoick stated.

Gothi nodded and she allowed the chief to enter her home. Stoick slowly made his way to the room where the boy was being held. He wondered what kind of a person the boy was and if he had any family missing him at the moment. He knew that's what he had been doing for a long time now, only he knew that his child was gone forever. But if this boy did have family somewhere, then he was determined to bring him back.

Hiccup had finished his soup and he began to snack on the loaf of bread while taking sips of the tea. He could feel his stomach slowly becoming content with the nourishment. He was letting his guard down to the world around him, and that was when he had a guests enter the room he was in. He stopped eating the bread and looked at the man. His eyes widen with realization as he recalled that this was the same man who had captured Stormfly all those years ago.

He hadn't change in the years since he had first seen him. He was still a big man with red bushy hair with a few strands of gray entered the small hut; Hiccup could see that a light dust of freckles decorated his face as well. Even for a Viking, the man possessed a prominent muscular figure. He wore a chainmail tunic with striped pants along with fur boots; a large clock also adorned his shoulders. Overall, Hiccup could tell that this man was a strong and proud Viking, Hiccup knew who this was. He had to be the chief of this village.

However, what caught Hiccup's attention the most were his eyes. His eyes were green, the same green as his own. Not only that but they reminded him so much of his father Cloudjumper, he found that strange. But he didn't have time to think anymore as the man spoke in a deep yet gentle tone.

"Hello, I am Stoick the Vast and I am the Chief of Berk."

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	38. Chapter 38

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 38**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Hiccup couldn't believe that he was finally looking at the chief. He had only seen him from afar, but now here he was. The man who is supposed to be his enemy had just addressed him. Hiccup was in awe over how tall and big the man was, he never realized that before. He had seen many Vikings in his life, but they failed in comparison to the Chief of Berk. Hiccup observed him one last time before speaking.

"Chief Stoick," Hiccup repeated.

Stoick stood tall as the boy repeated his name, it was almost as if he was trying to convince himself of it.

"The one and only," the chief said proudly.

That was when the chief held his hand out to the boy, Hiccup looked at it for a second before taking it into his own. He had seen that this was how Vikings greeted each other, he shook a little as he felt the strong grip of the chief. His hand was so small in comparison. Hiccup wondered if he would ever grow to be this tall or big. He assumed not, his father had always told him that he was small for a Viking his age. But he didn't have time to think about that anymore as the chief spoke yet again.

"Who are you young one?" he asked.

Hiccup remembered the name he had given to Astrid and the old woman, he had to stick with it.

"Cloudless," he introduced.

The chief looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Unusual name," Stoick commented.

Hiccup gently smiled at the chief.

"So I've been told," he responded.

The two men finally let go of each other's hands, Hiccup knew what was coming next. He knew that there was more to the chief's question that just asking for name. Hiccup didn't know how he was going to answer them, but he had to try.

"And your age?" Stoick asked.

"Sixteen," Hiccup responded.

The Chief of Berk stood quietly for a few seconds, Hiccup could practically see the man's thoughts. Hiccup had a feeling that the man was already growing suspicious of him, after all it wasn't every day that you get a visitor like him. Especially one that literally appeared out of nowhere. That was when Stoick voiced his thoughts.

"I must say that your presence here intrigues me Cloudless, especially when you're so young," he stated. "I would be lying if I said that my village and I weren't curious about you."

"I'm sure," Hiccup responded. "I apologize if I've inconvenience you all in anyway."

Stoick could see the sincerity in the young boy's eyes, they were evergreen. This was the first time he was seeing their color. They reminded him so much of his wife's. Valka was the only person he knew who could possess such gentleness despite being a Viking. It was one of the reasons why he was attracted to her the moment he met her on the battlefield. That was when the Chief of Berk placed a hand on Hiccup's head and ruffled his hair a little. Hiccup was surprised by the sudden action, but it felt comforting. It reminded him of his father, Cloudjumper would periodically ruffle his hair in a similar manner.

"Nonsense, we are more than happy to help a fellow Viking in need," he replied.

Despite the obvious differences between the two, Hiccup couldn't help but feel honored at that. He had never been treated like a Viking before, he had spent his whole life being treated like a dragon. But he had the chance to be both, but he would never tell the Chief of Berk that. For now, he would be a Viking and he would play the role to the best of his ability. His years of observation would come in handy in this situation. That was when Stoick remembered why he was here in the first place, he had to learn more about this strange visitor. He just hoped that the young boy wasn't an enemy of some sort.

"Now tell me young Cloudless, just how did you get here?" he asked. "We just survived another dragon raid and we didn't see any signs of other Vikings near the area."

Hiccup had to think, he had to be quick to. Toothless always praised him for being a quick thinker. This time was no exception.

"Well…" he started. "You see… I was on a ship. I was with my people there, we were traveling. And… all of a sudden… we were attacked."

That caught Stoick's attention, as well as Gothi's. That was when the chief got closer to the wounded boy.

"Attacked?" Stoick questioned.

Hiccup nodded his head, he felt really guilty about making up this story. Not only was he lying to the Chief of Berk, but he felt like he was disgracing his dragon family. He was making them seem like they were the bad guys, when in reality it was the Viking's fault that he was in this current predicament. But he had to play the role, he had to remember that.

"Yes sir," Hiccup replied. "The dragons… they came out of nowhere… they attacked our ship. I tried to escape with my family but I ended up in the ocean instead. I thought I was done for… that is until I landed on your shores."

Stoick's face went from neutral to livid in a matter of seconds. He couldn't believe that his enemies managed to attack another group of people before attacking his own. His hands clenched into fists at the thought of that, but he had to keep his composure. He didn't want to frighten the visitor in anyway, especially when he was another causality to this endless war.

"You were in the water for that long?" Stoick asked.

"I was, like I said I thought I was dead. I guess the currents managed to sweep me to the closet land. It just so happened to be yours."

"I see," Stoick responded. "And your family?"

Hiccup paused at that question. His family, he hadn't been gone for long but he was already starting to miss them. Especially his brother. He was so worried about the Night Fury, he wanted to know that he was safe and out of harm's way. He had to find him as soon as possible, he just hoped that he was at the cove.

"My people and I are nomads, we don't stay in one place for long. That's why we were traveling. I was with my father and brother," Hiccup stated. "I didn't see what happened to them, I just hope that they're okay."

Stoick could see the sadness in Hiccup's eyes, he couldn't help but be sympathetic to the boy's plight. He understood the pain of losing someone. He just hoped that the boy didn't end up like his wife and him, he hoped that they were able to locate his family or at least his people. It also made him feel relieved. He was worried that this boy might have been an enemy of some sort, another positive was that he didn't look like the type to work for Drago. He would admit that he had the same worries as his people did. He was worried that this was some sort of trick or test by Drago. But looking at this young man, he could tell that wasn't the case. He was happy to see that the rumors were false.

He remembered his wife's words and her wishes, she wanted Hiccup returned to his home. And now that he had all the information that he needed, Stoick made his decision.

"Until we can locate your family, you may stay here," Stoick stated.

That caught Hiccup off guard, he certainly wasn't expecting the chief to actually let him stay. But that was perfect for him, that meant that he could find Toothless and help the people of Berk gain a better understanding of dragons. His mission started the moment he landed on this island. Hiccup bowed his head to the Chief of Berk.

"Thank you sir," Hiccup said. "I really appreciate it."

Stoick nodded his head in approval, that was when an idea came to his head. He realized that the young visitor couldn't stay in Gothi's hut forever, it was limited to just Gothi and her patients. He would have to stay somewhere else, and there was only one place he could think of. His home. It was perfect. Valka wouldn't mind the company and he would be able to keep an eye on the boy. After all he's been through, the least he could do is make sure that his wellbeing was fine. As the Chief of Berk it was his duty to care for his people, but as a Viking it was his responsibility to watch over his fellow Vikings. This boy was no exception.

Plus, he didn't know why but he felt a connection to this young man. There was something about him that felt so familiar. It was almost as if he was reunited it something… or someone. But he quickly shook that thought away, he addressed Hiccup.

"You'll have to stay here for the time being, Gothi's hut is a place where only the sick and injured reside," he added. "But once you're fully healed you may stay with my wife and me."

Stoick could see the shock on Hiccup's face, once again Hiccup couldn't believe what he was hearing. Why was the chief so trusting of him? Was this a test? Was the chief onto his secret? Hiccup was sure that nothing gave him away at this point, especially when he left most of his supplies back at the sanctuary. The young boy was about to protest until Stoick beat him to it.

"I insist," he said. "I would feel more comfortable knowing that you're close by, besides my wife would enjoy the company when I'm not around."

The chief's wife. The chief had a wife! Hiccup was in awe over that fact, he couldn't a picture a man like Stoick being married. Then again, he supposed that anything was possible. He wondered what she was like. Was she big and strong like him? Was she just as capable of hurting a dragon? There were so many possibilities running through his head at the moment, but he couldn't voice them. He couldn't blow his cover… not yet at least.

"I would be honored sir," Hiccup stated with a slight head bow. "And if it's alright with you, I would like to make a request."

This caught the chief off guard, as well as Gothi. They had just meant this boy and yet he was already volunteering for work. But it did intrigue the chief.

"And what might that request be young Cloudless?" he asked.

Hiccup looked the chief straight in the eye as he prepared for what he was about to say.

"I would like to help out around here until I am able to locate my family."

Stoick wasn't so sure about the request, but he observed the teenager carefully. He noticed that the boy was somewhat thin compared to the teenagers here. But he did have some muscles, especially on his arms. Stoick could see that there were hints of scars all over his torso and limbs. There were also fresh bruises and bandaged cuts on his person. This boy clearly had been through a lot throughout his life, not just now but then as well. The old scars and healing wounds proved that, he wondered just how the teenager acquired them. If anything they proved that he was more than capable of handling himself. It looked like he was capable of some work. But the boy wasn't done yet.

"Please, I don't feel right just taking advantage of your hospitality. I would like to earn my keep," Hiccup stated.

He meant it too, this is what he had been doing for a good portion of his life. Back at the sanctuary he tried to earn his keep amongst the dragons, especially when he felt guilty about being born as a human. As soon as he was old enough he fought to prove to his dragon family that he was capable of helping them. That's why Toothless and him were saving dragons and fighting against Drago and his men. And now it's why he wanted to help out around village. He had other reasons of course, he wanted to learn more about Viking life and he wanted to show the people that he wasn't a threat. He had to earn their trust first if he wanted things to go his way.

And who knows… maybe he would find out who his real family is. Maybe he could have two families instead of one.

But for now he had to focus on the current situation at hand, he saw that the chief was contemplating his request. He really hoped that he would agree to it. After a few seconds of silence, the chief finally spoke.

"Very well," he stated. "We might be able to find some work for you, nothing too harsh or difficult. Then we'll see where we'll go from there."

A big smile spread across Hiccup's face and he nodded his head. He looked so innocent and childish as he did so, Stoick found it endearing. There was something about this boy that made him just want to protect him. He had a feeling that Valka would enjoy Hiccup's company, he was already becoming found of the young man.

"Thank you sir," Hiccup replied. "I look forward to helping out around here."

Stoick nodded and then he turned to Gothi.

"You will report to me as soon as his health is stable," Stoick stated.

Gothi nodded her head and she made motions with her hands, she then gestured to Hiccup. Stoick turned to Hiccup once again as she did so.

"She said that you should be good to go within two days, three at the most. Thankfully, you had no broken bones and the swelling is going done."

Hiccup let out a sigh of relief once he heard Gothi's report, he was happy to hear that he was on his way to full health. He couldn't wait to actually walk around the village of Berk. He had done so before, but he wasn't able to fully appreciate it. Now he would get the proper chance to walk among the Vikings as if he was one of them. And it would be a good time to look for his brother, he just hoped that he was safe and where he was supposed to be. That was when the Chief of Berk made his way to the door of Gothi's hut.

"In the meantime, I'll alert the village of your stay. I'm sure the youth here would be happy to take you under their wings," Stoick stated.

Hiccup's heart fluttered a little, he thought of Astrid when the chief said that. She was around his age, and she made it perfectly clear that she cared about his wellbeing. He didn't fully understand why but he wasn't complaining. He was looking forward to seeing and speaking with her again, this time it would be on better terms than before. He just hoped that he wouldn't ruin the small bond he had with her. Nevertheless, he nodded his head again.

"I would like that sir," Hiccup replied. "And thank you for your hospitality."

The chief nodded his head.

"The pleasure is all ours, after all you're a fellow Viking," he said. "And Vikings look out for one another."

Hiccup wished he could tell him otherwise, but he knew better than that. He had to wait for the right moment. But it made him feel somewhat happy to hear that, it meant that the Vikings really weren't that different from the dragons. The dragons too protected their own and they looked out for one another, just like the humans. Hiccup could see that the two worlds weren't so different after all. No if only he could get the two worlds to see that as well.

"Thank you," Hiccup said.

With that the Chief of Berk made his exit, Gothi then went back to his side and looked over his injuries once again. Hiccup just sat quietly as she did so, he contemplated what the future had in store for him. He just hoped that no one would discover his secret, especially when he knew that Berk aligned themselves with Drago and his army. If someone like Drago was able to figure it out, he wondered if anyone was capable of it too. Astrid was the only one who knew about it, but she didn't fully comprehend what it was. He had to be careful, he had to make sure that his gift didn't slip out. No matter what, he couldn't allow himself to speak in his dragon tongue while he was here. He had to make sure of that.

Meanwhile, Stoick headed for the arena, he knew that's where the Berk youngsters would be at the moment. Despite the recovering state of their village, they were still expected to attend their lessons. Especially when the fate of their home depended on it.

Soon it was outside the arena's walls and staring down at the young Vikings, along with his childhood friend, Gobber. The handicapped Viking was busy teaching them how to throw their axes at the assigned targets. He watched in awe and frustration while some missed and others succeed. However, the one that stood out the most was Astrid Hofferson. The young woman not only hit her target, but she managed to hit it directly at its heart. Despite not being her father, the chief couldn't help but feel paternal pride over her. He always accepted that kind of feeling, especially when he missed watching his child grow. It was the closest he was going to get at this point.

Finally Stoick interrupted them.

"Attention!" he exclaimed.

That was when the young Vikings and their teacher stopped what they were doing. They all turned to their chief and they quickly performed a quick bow in his presence. Gobber, on the other hand, waved causually to his friend.

"Ah Stoick!" he greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure of ya interrupting me class?"

Stoick frowned at the Viking's happy-go-lucky attitude, but it was just Gobber being Gobber. With that he moved onto his announcement.

"As you know, we have a guest here on our island," he stated.

That was when the young people started to chatter amongst themselves, they hadn't forgotten about the strange visitor. They hadn't been able to see him, with the exception of Astrid, and they didn't know too much about the situation either.

Astrid stood still and quiet once she heard the subject of her chief's declaration. It was the boy, the very same who captivated her so much. The same boy who now had a name, Cloudless. His name was Cloudless and she was finally reunited with him after so many years. She wondered what the chief had been able to learn about him.

 _I just hope that he didn't give too much away. The last thing I need is for him to be pushed out of the village because of his secrets._

She was worried about him, she didn't want anyone to find out that this wasn't his first visit to Berk. If anyone found out they would surely hurt him… or worse… kill him. Astrid quickly shook that thought out of her head.

 _I won't let that happen. He's not a threat, I know that. But nobody else does, hopefully he's learned how to be a good liar. Well, he has to be. After all, he's never told me anything about himself either. I just know that he has a father and brother… and that he had experience with dragons. But now I also know his name, at least that's something._

While she thought to herself, the chief talked to them. He was telling them to be polite and welcoming to the young visitor, he also told them about the boy's situation and that he would be staying here until further notice. Astrid zoned in and out during the announcement, her thoughts kept wandering back to the injured boy. She couldn't help but smile a little at the sound of his name, it was unusual but then again, so was he. He was unusual, and that's why she wanted to learn so much about him. She wanted to know more about the boy with the dragon necklace… the boy named Cloudless. She was daydreaming at this point.

But she was soon brought back to reality once she heard her name.

"Astrid!"

She flinched a little but she quickly regained her composure. She looked at the chief and stood proudly.

"Yes sir!" she responded.

Stoick gestured to her.

"Come here please," he added.

Astrid nodded her head and she made her way outside the arena. She was now standing in front of the chief.

"Astrid," he addressed. "Now that you are aware of Cloudless's situation, I was wondering if I could ask a favor from you."

"Sure," she responded. "Anything Chief Stoick."

"I was wondering if you would take the time to act as Cloudless's guide during his stay here," he said. "After all, the boy isn't familiar with land and he could use some help socializing with the rest of the Vikings. And since you're around his age, I figured that you would be the perfect candidate for such a job."

It took a lot for Astrid not to cheer. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, it was almost as if her dreams were being answered. She wanted to become close to the boy and now she had the chance. The chief had just given her the perfect opportunity to do so, and she was going to take it.

 _Of course I do it! Calm down though Astrid, don't give yourself away. Just keep your composure and everything will work out._

"I would be honored sir," she said in a formal tone.

Stoick was pleased with her answer as he nodded his head and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you Astrid, make sure he feels right at home," he responded. "That's what the boy needs at this point."

She gave him a firm nod and she was dismissed. Astrid went back to her training while Stoick went to make a similar announcement to the rest of the village. He would also have to tell Valka about the arrangements he made for the guest. Valka was always the maternal soul, he was sure that she would appreciate having someone around the house in his absence.

Astrid continued to excel in her training, all the while there was a smile on her face. Her peers questioned it a little, they had never seen that kind of look at her face before. She looked excited, there was a hint of gentleness and valor as well. Astrid felt special as she practiced her skills, during this time she thought about the boy. He was the only one to make her feel this way, and she didn't want it to end.

 _Cloudless… I can't wait to finally become a part of your world. The same way you became a part of mine._

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


	39. Chapter 39

**Soul of a Dragon Chapter 39**

"speaking"- human language

 **"speaking"- dragonese**

 _thinking- human thoughts_

 _ **thinking- dragon thoughts**_

 **I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters**

Hiccup considered himself lucky. At least he felt lucky at the moment, he had only spent two more days in Gothi's hut before he was given her approval to leave. He had hoped this would happen, he wanted his body to regain is strength as soon as possible. The sooner, the better, and thankfully it was sooner.

He was finally going to see the village, and he was going to live with the chief and his wife. He was both nervous and excited, he hadn't had a change to meet the chief's wife. He was wondering if she was anything like he pictured her to be. Well, he supposed that he would find out soon.

The chief was literally standing in front of him right now, Hiccup was just finishing putting on his armor when he walked in. The chief had greeted him and he greeted back, Gothi gave him her last health report before sending Hiccup on his way. Hiccup walked by Stoick's side as they made their way through the village. Along the way Hiccup couldn't help but notice the stares directed at him. Everyone stopped what they were doing just to get a look at the stranger.

Hiccup felt somewhat embarrassed, he wasn't used to this kind of attention. Especially when it was coming from humans. Normally when a human did give him this kind of attention, it was a bad thing. Drago and his men were a perfect example of that. But for some reason this felt different, maybe it was because this was technically his home. These were his people, they were supposed to be his fellow Vikings. He wondered if he would ever have the chance to properly join them. He supposed that it was all a matter of time now… and finding Toothless of course.

Finally, they made it to the chief's home. It was a rather large hut but it stood at a top of a hill. Thankfully the forest was just right behind it though, so Hiccup had a shot at finding Toothless without anyone noticing him sneaking around. Hiccup admired the architecture though, the way the overall structure was the form of a dragon was captivating. Hiccup never really understood the idea of living in a house, maybe it was because he never lived in one. All his life he slept next to his father and brother in a warm embrace while being in a nice and comfy cave, in the winter he would have to use the furs he had collected over the years as extra blankets too. Thankfully, the Dragon Sanctuary was a world of its own, anything that happened outside usually didn't occur as much on the inside. Seasons like summer and winter weren't as harsh or as damaging as they were on the outside world. But preparations always helped though.

Hiccup was missing his home, but he knew that this wasn't the end. He would see his home again one day, but for now he had to focus on this home. This land was his first home, and he had a duty to make sure that it was safe from the hands of Drago Bludvist. Just like how he had to make sure his dragon home was safe from that man.

"We have plenty of room," Stoick commented as he gestured for Hiccup to go in. "My wife is expecting our arrival."

Hiccup gave him a firm nod and went first, he opened the door and entered into the Viking home. Stoick followed behind him and closed the doors as he did so. As soon as he was inside, Hiccup was greeted by the sight of a woman standing over a boiling pot with a wooden spoon in hand. There were also bowls and utensils located on a table near her, along with some bread and cups. The woman finally noticed their presence as she turned to face them. She stared at him in particular, and Hiccup got a good look at her.

He couldn't believe it, she was nothing like he pictured her. The woman before him was small, petite and fragile. She was rather beautiful though, her auburn hair was tied back in braids and her eyes were a gentle mixture of green and blue. Oddly, there was something familiar about them. Hiccup felt as if he had seen them before. But she was nothing like her husband, she was the exact opposite of everything Hiccup thought a Viking was.

Valka finally saw the boy, he was standing right before her. As soon as her eyes laid on him she felt her heart skip a beat. A wave of emotion came over her, and for some reason she felt the urge to cry. She didn't know why, but she just did. Something about this boy triggered her maternal nature. He had her long for something… or someone. It was a very strange moment for her, that was when she realized that she was staring. Her face quickly switched to a gentle smile as she stared at the young man.

Hiccup felt his heart flutter a little when the woman smiled at him, as stated before he wasn't used to humans looking at him in such a way. He felt his face become somewhat flushed too. Hiccup didn't know why he was so embarrassed, but for some reason he also felt happy. That was when Stoick placed hand on his shoulder and gestured to the woman.

"Cloudless," he started. "This is my wife, Valka."

Then he looked at his beloved wife.

"And Valka," he added. "This is Cloudless."

Valka continued to smile as she took several steps forward. She was now standing right in front of the young man, he was a little taller than her but she still bowed gently. She greeted her guest.

"Hello there, it's a pleasure to meet you Cloudless," she said. "So you're the one everyone keeps talking about."

Despite his anxiousness, Hiccup smiled and he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah I suppose I am, I apologize for any inconvenience I have placed upon you and everyone else," he replied.

Valka just met the young boy but she was already captivated by his politeness. Being polite was not a normal trait of Vikings, if at all. Her own husband was just as guilty of this attribute, it was rare to see him be so formal and civil with others. But he acted as such with this young man, and it was fascinating to see. It seems like this boy brought out another side to him as well. What a strange and remarkable power he had.

"There is no need to worry," she stated. "My husband and I look forward to having you as company, that is until you can find your family."

His family. He was hoping that he would see them again soon, especially Toothless. But for now he had a role to play. That was when Valka pointed to the table filled.

"Please take a seat, breakfast is almost ready. We're having beef stew and bread," she added.

"I can see that," he responded. "It smells delicious."

"My wife is an excellent cook, she can turn any morsel into a feast," Stoick complimented.

"Oh Stoick," Valka said, obviously flattered.

Hiccup smiled at the couple's antics, he found their interactions to be adorable and endearing. It reminded him of the dragon couples he had encountered throughout his life. Love was a very interesting thing, that's something he had learned over his sixteen years of living. He had seen it in my forms and from different beings, and he couldn't help but be envious of them. He wanted to feel that kind of love one day too, but he didn't know if that was possible. Plus, even if it was he didn't know who he would want that someone to be. He had an idea, but he felt that it would never work out. After all, the only girl he could think of was still so far away from him, even if he was literally here from her.

Nevertheless, he did as he was told and he took a seat at the table while Stoick took his own. Valka went back to stirring the pot's contents. That was when Hiccup observed his new surroundings, it was a cozy hut, he had to admit that much. It felt like home.

"You have a very nice home here," Hiccup commented.

"Been here for over generations," Stoick replied as he took a sip from his tankard. "It's been passed down from chief to chief."

"Wow," Hiccup said. "It has such amazing architecture, it truly is fit for a chief."

"Aye," Stoick agreed.

That was when Valka came over with the pot and poured some of its contents into Hiccup's bowl. She repeated the process until all bowls were filled. That was when Valka finally joined them at the table after she put away the pot. Stoick started to dig into her stew while Valka enjoyed some bread, Hiccup decided to do both. He picked up a slice of bread and dipped it into the soup. He then brought the morsel into his mouth and chewed. He moaned a little over how delightful the flavors were. Hiccup rarely got meals like this. When they were kids, Toothless and him would steal Viking foods when they were left unattended, it was the only time when Hiccup got to eat actual human meals. But he didn't mind, sometimes humans came up with the weirdest of things such as a weird meal called "haggis." He didn't know what that meant exactly, but it tasted and smelt horrible. He couldn't get the flavor out of his mouth for days, the same went for Toothless.

But this was different. It was a very simple meal, certainly nothing like the ones he was used to back at the Dragon Sanctuary. Back at his home he didn't bother with utensils, he saw no need for them since every dragon ate with their claws and teeth. The only time he didn't eat like this was when he was a hatchling. His father would tell him about the times where he would leave the sanctuary to find Hiccup some nourishment for the baby human. For the first months of his life he would feast on goat milk along with yak and cow milk.

He recalled the times where his family and him would just sit together and enjoy a feast of fish, berries, fruit and other types of acceptable meat. Then there were times where Hiccup would tease Toothless by chasing him around with an eel, much to the annoyance of their father and the amusement of their adoptive aunt. They had fun times together, it was always a great time for them to bond and simply talk. He missed those times.

Several minutes went by before anyone made an attempt at conversation. It was Valka who did so, she had heard of Hiccup's situation and wanted to know more about him. If he was going to stay here for a while, she might as well get to him a little better.

"So Cloudless, Stoick tells me that you're a nomad," Valka commented.

"Yes ma'am, been that way since I was born," Hiccup responded.

It technically wasn't a lie, so Hiccup didn't feel too bad about it. But that didn't make the process any easier.

"So you're used to traveling," Valka added. "At your age you've probably been to every part of the world by now."

Hiccup struggled to get a proper hold on the spoon, as stated before he wasn't use to such utensils. He had to watch Valka and Stoick using theirs in order to get a proper idea on how to use the spoon. Thankfully, he was a fast learner, he managed to hold the spoon properly and dipped it into the stew.

"You could say that, I don't know about every part of the world though. We mostly like to stay away from plain sight, we keep to ourselves," Hiccup stated.

That caught Stoick's attention.

"Out of plain sight?" he questioned.

"Yes," Hiccup replied. "You see we're very different from you guys in terms of fighting and defense. We are a very quiet group of people, we choose to stay away from the outside world."

"Really?" Valka asked. "For what reason?"

How could Hiccup tell them about Drago when they were working with him? He couldn't, they wouldn't believe him, especially if he told them the reasons why Drago was after him and his "people." If he wasn't careful he could make enemies with the people of Berk too.

"Because of our quiet nature, there are people who would like to take advantage of us. They see us as easy prey and try to attack us, we may be nomads but we have acquired a lot of resources over the years through trades and traveling. That includes the wisdom of learning new languages and cultures," Hiccup explained. "Therefore, we've decided to live amongst the shadows and try to stay out of plain sight. It's been that way even before my brother and I were born."

Stoick and Valka listened carefully to the guest's story of his people, and they were very interested and fascinated. Never in their lives had they heard of a peaceful tribe such as theirs, Vikings were normally very energetic and ravenous. It was in their nature to fight and defend themselves from any sign of a threat.

"Plus, we like to stay away from all the fighting," Hiccup added. "My people are actually descended from Vikings, but over time they grew weary of the wars… and decided to withdraw from it all by taking to the sea. And it's been that way ever since then."

"Which war was your tribe involved in?" Valka questioned.

"Every war," Hiccup stated. "Both human and dragon."

Valka let out a small sigh as she took a sip of her beverage.

"I wish we were as fortunate," Valka commented. "This war between humans and dragons has taken its toll on us."

Stoick grunted at that statement, he knew how his wife felt about the war. She was tired, they all were. When they were married they thought that they could handle this war without fear and worry… but that all changed when they experienced their loss. They had loss their one and only child to this war, and things only got worse from there. They each had their way of grieving and mourning, even after sixteen years things didn't get any easier.

Stoick handled his grief by fighting and taking as much from the dragons as he could. He stayed away from his home intentionally sometimes, but he always returned for Valka's sake. Valka, on the other hand, confined herself in their home. She would venture out whenever she could, but for the most part she stayed inside. She didn't want to see any more of the ugliness this world had to offer.

In hindsight, their ways of dealing with their heartache wasn't healthy. They knew that they had to move on, but it wasn't an easy task. Their only silver lining was that they still had each other, despite their grief and mourning, they still loved each other as much as they first day they met. They wanted to be together, but the painful memories were too much at times. Still, they tried.

Hiccup could see the change in atmosphere, and he could sense it too. Hiccup didn't know too much about these people but he knew that they must have been through some form of suffering in their lives. They looked the same way the dragons did whenever they lost something. Maybe they had lost something too. He couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards their plight. But in a way he it made him feel hopeful too, maybe they didn't join Drago out of sheer spite. Maybe there was a deeper meaning it, maybe they wanted this war to end just as much as he did. If that was the case, then he could work with that… he would show them that the dragons shared that dream with them.

"I'm sorry," he stated. "For whatever you've been through… I'm sorry."

Despite their inner turmoil, Stoick and Valka regained their composures for their guest. Valka gave the boy a gentle smile and placed a hand over his. The action made Hiccup's heart flutter, Valka seemed to have a talent for that. Stoick also gave Hiccup a neutral look instead of a sorrowful one.

"You have nothing to apologize for," Valka replied. "But thank you for your sentiments… it's a rarity to come by these days."

Stoick let out a sigh but he gave a small nod as well. That was when he remembered Cloudless's living rearrangements here on Berk. He recalled how he entrusted Hiccup to Astrid as his guide. He took a large gulp of his mead before placing it back on the table. He then turned to Hiccup and cleared his throat.

"Let us enjoy our meal, there is much to discuss after all… especially concerning you Cloudless," he said.

Valka nodded and she patted Hiccup's hand one last time before turning away from him. Hiccup gave her one last smile before looking back at Stoick. That was when the Chief of Berk made his announcement.

"During your stay here, you will be guided by one of the young Vikings," Stoick stated. "She is the best of your young generation, strong, fierce and determined. She said that she would be honored to take you under her wing for the time being."

Valka smiled a little at Stoick's declaration.

 _I think I have a feeling who he's talking about. There's only one person in the village Stoick praises that much. I'm sure she is more than happy to accept this task._

Hiccup was a little nervous about the chief's choice, he had no idea who was going be in charge of him like he was here. He just hoped it was someone who would listen and someone he could trust.

"Do you remember that girl who found you on the shore, the very same one who attended to you in Gothi's hut?" Stoick asked.

Hiccup's eyes widen over that question, his heart started to bear erratically as well. He couldn't believe what the chief was saying, at least he had a feeling he knew what he was saying. But there was only one person did all of those things, and it was the same person he encountered in the past. His suspicions were confirmed when Stoick finally said the girl's name.

"Astrid Hofferson is her name, and she will be your guide," Stoick added.

Hiccup could have fainted at the moment. He was both happy and nervous at the same time. He didn't know how he was going to act around the girl, especially when he knew that she would want to know more about his past.

"As for your family," Stoick continued. "I will send a small group of my people out to find them, I can only spare one boat at the moment due to our resources being destroyed. The same goes for my people, so I apologize if it will take some time to locate any sign of them."

But Hiccup didn't mind, he felt bad though since he was literally sending them on a wild goose chase out on the sea. However, he had to remind himself of his mission.

"I don't mind sir, I understand your situation. And you've already done so much for me, I can only hope that I can repay your kindness," Hiccup said.

"Like I said, we might be able to find you something to do while you're here. But first I want you to get acquainted with the village. You may start as soon breakfast is over, Astrid will be here in a few minutes," the chief added. "Once she has shown you around the village, you may return here."

Hiccup nodded.

"I understand sir."

"Very good."

With that the three people enjoyed the last of their breakfast, that was when they heard a knock at the door. Valka was the one who answered it, on the other hand of the door was none other than Astrid herself. The girl stood tall and bright, she was as beautiful as always. Hiccup blushed a little once his eyes stared right into hers. She blushed back but it quickly went away as she turned to Valka.

"Astrid," Valka greeted. "Good morning."

"Good morning to you as well Valka," Astrid responded. "Chief Stoick called for me."

"Yes I am aware, you are to show this visitor our land," Valka said. "Please be sure that he receives a warm welcome, you know how rambunctious the young ones can be."

"Don't worry I will," Astrid stated and then she turned to Hiccup. "Come along then stranger, there is much to see."

Hiccup simply nodded and he stood up from his seat, he walked over to her and brushed past her. He shivered a little at the smallest touch he received from her. But before they left Stoick made one more statement to the young man.

"Remember young Cloudless, come back here whenever you feel like it," Stoick added.

"I will sir, don't worry," he responded.

Stoick gave his approval and he gestured for them to start their day.

"Be on your way then," Stoick said.

With that the two teenagers left the chief's house, leaving the two adults by themselves. Valka turned to Stoick with a genuine smile on her face.

"He's a fine young man Stoick," she stated.

"Yes he is," Stoick replied.

She then turned to look at the two young people as they made their way into the village. There was something about them made her heart flutter, they looked so natural together. Almost as if their souls were joined together, she found that strange since this was the first time they were meeting. But she supposed that was the boy's gift at work. Her thoughts then wandered to the baby she gave birth to and loss all those years ago.

 _Had our son lived… that's how I would have wanted him to be._

Meanwhile, the two teenagers walked side by side. Hiccup was hit with the bright sun as he stepped out of the shadows. He placed a hand over his eyes but he let out a sigh of contentment as it did so. Astrid saw the innocence the young man displayed as he basked in the sun's glory. She couldn't help but smile at it.

"You really haven't changed," she commented.

Hiccup looked at her, a puzzled look on his face.

"How so?" he asked.

"Well, you're still as unusual as the first time we met," she said. "And you still possess such a childish charm, it feels like you never left."

Despite their situation, Hiccup smiled at the Viking girl. He knew that he owed her so much, explanations mostly. But even with time, he could never truly tell her his deepest secrets. He could only lie and make it seem like there was nothing more to his actions. As much as it hurt him, he knew he had to do so. Not just to protect himself, but her and his dragon family. He couldn't live with himself if anything bad happened to her or his family. Astrid may have been a stranger but she left her mark on him. He wondered if he left a mark on her as well.

"You haven't change at all either," he added.

She gave him a puzzled look as well.

"Really?" she questioned. "In what ways?"

"You're still as headstrong and as determined as you were back then," he said. "Plus, you still possess the elegance I saw in you all those years ago. Very admirable, at least I think so."

Astrid blushed and she actually punched him, but it wasn't too hard or anything. It was more of a love tap, which made Hiccup laugh a little.

"Ow," he playfully whined. "And you're still as feisty as ever too."

"Oh shut up," she said.

Deep down she was happy, people always made catcalls at her but this was different. This didn't like the other times, this felt more genuine. This boy didn't look at her like a simple trophy to obtain, he saw her for her for who she was and instead of mocking them, he embraced them. She was only ashamed that she didn't know more about him in order to make the same kind of judgement. That was when she was reminded of his disappearances.

"You still need to tell me you know," she added. "About everything."

Hiccup's face became serious. They continued to walk, as they did so some of the people stopped to stare at them. They were making comments about the stranger but Hiccup and Astrid were too endorsed in each other to notice.

"I know," he admitted. "I owe you many explanations, some of which may be hard to understand. But I'll try to tell you… but please now's not the moment."

Astrid heard his statement and she had to agree with him. There were too many people around for him to tell her anything. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to discover his secrets. But it felt reassuring to hear him admit that to her, it also gave her hope. That was when Astrid remembered what she was supposed to be doing.

"I guess I should start showing you around then huh?" she asked.

"That would be nice," he replied.

"Alright, we'll start over here," she said.

Astrid started to point to the places of the village, she explained to Hiccup what they were and what they were used for. Hiccup made sure to take note of every single place, this was his home too after all, even if no one else knew that. She showed him the Mead Hall or the Great Hall, it was name that certainly lived up to its reputation. It was the centerpiece of the island, bigger than the chief's house. Astrid said that this was where the Vikings gathered to eat and socialize, it was also the place where the chief made his important announcements.

Then there was the armory, it was the place where all the weapons were stored. The sight of it made Hiccup shiver a little, only because he thought about all the dragons who were victims of those weapons. He remembered his first dragon rescue, he ended up with an arrow in his arm. He still had the scar, it was small but it left an impact on him and his brother. He was grateful when they moved away from that area.

The Viking girl showed him the barns that were located on Berk, many of them had different kinds of animals. Sheep, yaks and chickens could be seen wandered around the open spaces. They looked so peaceful now that the dragon raid's damage had been fixed.

There was also a small library located near Gothi's hut. Astrid told him that it's where the Vikings went when they needed information on certain subjects. Most of the books were old tales about Vikings and their history. Others were about dragons and the legends surrounding them. Hiccup made a note to himself to check out the place whenever he had some free time. He would like to know what the humans knew about dragons, or what they thought they knew.

She showed them several houses, including her own and Gothi's. She said she could ask for her whenever he needed, but at the right time. Hiccup also had a note to himself about that. He would like to spend time with Astrid when she wasn't busy doing other things.

That was when they walked to a familiar structure, Hiccup recognized it the minute he laid eyes on it. It was the dragon arena, the very same place he rescued all those dragons years ago. Astrid called it the Berk Dragon Fighting Academy, she said that underneath were dragons that had been captured and trained for fighting purposes. Once again, Hiccup found it difficult to stomach. He could practically hear the dragons calling out to him, he had hoped that they weren't doing so anymore. But he knew better, if they were working with Drago that meant they were still involved in capturing dragons. He just hoped that he could save all of them by the time this was over.

"This is how we train ourselves to fight dragons," Astrid stated. "But you should have some idea on that, after all your father is a great dragon fighter right?"

Hiccup remembered how Astrid came to that assumption all those years ago, just because she saw his dragon tooth necklace. The very same one he was wearing around his neck, she had no idea what significance it really had. Once again, he felt guilty about lying to her for so many years.

"Yeah," he said. "A great dragon fighter."

He was so unenthusiastic about that statement, but thankfully Astrid didn't seem to notice as she walked closer to the arena. That's when Hiccup heard yelling, it sounded like a group of people rather than just one person. Several loud noises accompanied those shouts, they made Hiccup shudder. He recognized those sounds, they belonged to weapons. And most of the time they were aimed at him and his family and friends! Nevertheless, he followed Astrid and he was soon rewarded with the sight of several other Vikings. And they were young too! But one of them caught his attention, he was an older man with a strange looking beard and several missing limbs. But in place of his limbs were these strange looking things, Hiccup had seen them before!

But then that very same man turned to look at him and Astrid. And that's when Hiccup got a good look at him, his heart raced a little at the sight of him. He recognized the man, he was one of the first Vikings he saw when Toothless and him entered the village. He was the reason why Hiccup was able to break out all the dragons, including Stormfly. Hiccup seemed to be learning lot today. A big smile appeared on the man's face and he waved his arm at Astrid.

"Ah Astrid!" the man greeted. "Good to ya lass!"

The young Vikings suddenly turned to him and Astrid, all eyes were on them now. And it made him feel uncomfortable. He actually scooted closer to the young woman in response, Astrid saw this but she wasn't complaining about it. That was when Astrid waved back and she smiled a little too.

"Good morning Gobber!" she responded. "How's training going?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary… although the twins here can't seem to settle their petty arguments," Gobber stated.

"Hey!" two of the young Vikings exclaimed. "We can too!"

That was when the two turned to each other and started to shove one another.

"I said it first!" the girl shouted.

"Stop copying me!" the boy responded.

They continued to push each other until the man held them back. Hiccup couldn't deny that he was amused by their actions, he turned to Astrid and could see that she looked bored. It looked as if she was used to this sort of thing.

"As expected," she commented.

Then she turned to him.

"That's Gobber the Belch," she introduced. "He's the one in charge of training the young Vikings, he's also the one is charge of weaponry and dragon handling."

That was when she took his wrist into her hand.

"Come on I'll introduce you to the rest of them."

Hiccup blushed at the contact but he nodded his head, with that Astrid led him into the arena. His heart thudded quickly. He didn't know if it was because of nerves or because Astrid was so close to him. Probably both, at least that's what he felt the answer was. But he ignored it as he was now standing in front of the young group of Vikings, along with their teacher. Thankfully Astrid was still holding onto him, her presence made him feel grounded. Especially when all eyes were on him once again.

Snotlout, Tuffnut, Ruffnut, Fishlegs and Gobber stared at the young man before them. This was their first time seeing the visitor so close. They didn't realize how young he was until now, he looked so different compared to them. But at the same time, there was something very familiar about him as well. Gobber at least noticed this, he couldn't help but feel like he had met the boy somewhere else before.

 _That's impossible, this boy looks no older than Astrid and the others. Plus, rarely anyone visits Berk. Vikings keep to themselves… at least that's how it used to be until Stoick allowed Drago Bludvist into this territory._

That was when Astrid interrupted his thought as she introduced the boy to them.

"Everyone," she said. "This is Cloudless."

The small group started to gossip amongst themselves, Hiccup felt uncomfortable as they did so. The man was the first one to greet him, he held out his good hand to him. Astrid scooted out of the way in order for him to respond. Hiccup stared at the hand for several seconds, before picking up his own hand and taking the Viking's. He had a strong grip, that was the first thing Hiccup noticed. He supposed that he should expect that kind of thing with Vikings, especially the adults.

"Hello there," Gobber greeted. "The name's Gobber the Blech, but call me Gobber please. I'm the teacher of this academy, as well as the blacksmith. I can forge just about anything using the finest and strongest metals. I'm literally wearing my own products."

He gestured to his limbs as he said so, and Hiccup couldn't help but smile a little. He heard how gentle the Viking's tone was, he wasn't threatening at all. He decided to make a little bit of conversation with the man.

"Hello," he replied. "Astrid already introduced me, but my name is Cloudless."

Gobber nodded and the pair stopped shaking hands.

"So yer the guest everyone's been making a ruckus over," he stated. "I must say Cloudless it's not every day that we get visitors to this island, especially the way you showed up."

Hiccup sheepishly smiled and he gave him a slight nod.

"Yeah, so I've been told. But I hope to make the most out of my time here," he commented.

That was when the others started to gather around him. One by one he heard their comments, it seemed like everyone was drawn to him. He just hoped that it wasn't in a bad way.

"Man, you're nothing like what I expected," the girl commented.

"What do you expect him to do, tap dance?" her twin asked sarcastically.

"Wow, your armor is very interesting Cloudless," the bigger boy stated. "Such fine craftsmanship."

"And that necklace," the other boy added. "Are those dragon teeth?"

Suddenly everyone seemed to realize his accessory as they started to talk more. Hiccup knew that would be subject that couldn't be avoided, he was actually amazed that the chief or his wife hadn't brought that up. Then again, they were so preoccupied with him, that they probably hadn't noticed yet. But he had to stick with his story and with his fake identity.

"Yeah they are," he said. "My dad gave this to me when I was a little kid."

Astrid smiled a little once he said. She remembered the first time she met him, he was wearing that necklace back then as well. It was one of the things that hadn't changed about him over the years, it was his identifying mark. She felt special because she was the only one to know that. She hoped to learn more about him and that necklace during his stay here. It seemed like a part of her wish was coming true as the crowd inquired more about it.

"Wow, so is your dragon like some kind of great dragon slayer or something?" one of the boys asked.

"I bet he could take on any dragon," the girl added.

"It is a fine and fascinating accessory," Gobber commented.

"Well…" Hiccup started. "You see my people and I don't really fight too much… uncles we have to that is. Over the years we've encountered some dragons, most of them were pretty young so they never really posed any true threat. But my dad managed to take these as souvenirs… and he gave them to me as a gift."

The crowd listened to his story, as did Astrid. They huddled closer in order to get a proper look at the accessory. That was when they noticed the tooth in the middle, it didn't look like a dragon tooth… it looked human.

"But what about this one?" the bigger boy questioned. "That's not a dragon tooth, it's small and not as sharp."

The others agreed with him, and Astrid couldn't help but notice that as well. Hiccup was grateful that he actually had a better story for that than the false ones he made up, at least this one wasn't fully a lie.

"That's my tooth," he stated. "It's one of my baby teeth from when I was younger. My dad put it there as a way to personalize it, he wanted me to know that it belongs to me and no one else. I've had it on ever since he gave it to me because of that, it's very special to me."

It was his most prized possession, he could never deny that no matter what he was. It signified the connection he had with his family. The only time it had ever been away from him was when Drago took it. He clutched onto it a little, it wasn't just his connection to his family, it was also a connection to his home as well. His home back at the Dragon Sanctuary, there was genuine look of love on his face as he thought about it. That was when the crowd interrupted him with more questions.

"So do you have any other family members?"

"Are you an only child?"

"What is your tribe called?"

"Have you done any traveling before?"

But before he could answer any one of those questions, the man named Gobber stepped in front of them.

"Alright that's enough excitement, it's rude to ask such personal questions without introducing yourselves first," he stated.

"My thoughts exactly," Astrid added. "Come you guys, you know better than that. Introduce yourselves."

That was when the group lined up in a straight line and started to do so. The first one to go was a somewhat muscular young man, he looked like the very definition of a Vikings. But something about him reminded him of Hookfang, maybe it was a long nose.

"My name is Snotlout Jorgenson," one of them introduced. "And I'm the best dragon slayer here on Berk, not to mention the strongest amongst this group of Vikings."

Astrid scoffed his response and she rolled her eyes too.

"Ignore him," she said. "He has no idea what he's talking about, I could easily take him on any time of the week."

Hiccup smiled at her, couldn't deny that. He had a feeling that there was more to Astrid than she presented, he had no doubt that she was the strongest one here. There was something about her that could make even the strongest of men tremble and bow before her. To him, Astrid was his image of an idle woman. She was both strong yet gentle in the right ways, he had never met anyone like her before. And he was sure that he wouldn't in the future. She was truly a queen among queens.

That was when the bigger boy introduced himself, Hiccup could tell right away that he was different than the others. He didn't seem to be as rough or as rambunctious as them. Hiccup felt like he could get along better with him than with the others.

"My name is Fishlegs Ingerman," he stated. "If you need any help on learning more about dragons, I'm your man, I've read every book about dragons in this village."

"Impressive," Hiccup commented.

Fishlegs blushed a little at his compliment, it wasn't everyday he received one because of his intelligence. Hiccup meant it too, it wasn't every day that he encountered a Viking who had knowledge about dragons. Most of them knew the basics and that's it, they didn't have a deeper understanding of them the way he did. Being raised by dragons certainly helped with that, Hiccup was sure that he knew secrets that the others didn't. Secrets that he hoped would bring them together instead of apart.

"We're next!" the last boy interrupted. "The name's Tuffnut Thorston, no dragon or Viking messes with me!"

"Oh please, just last week a Terrible Terror kicked your butt," the girl responded. "Ignore my idiotic twin, I'm Ruffnut Thorston."

The male gave his female twin a deep frown before pushing her to the side.

"It takes one to know one," Tuffnut commented.

Ruffnut recovered from the push and returned the gesture.

"You wanna start something loser?" Ruffnut asked.

Before they could go any further, their teacher stopped the, from doing so.

"That's enough you two, leave fighting to the professionals," Gobber commented. "And try to be on your best behavior while our guest is here."

Astrid scolded the two Vikings, her hand was still holding Hiccup's so she used her free hand to point at them. She wouldn't tolerate their antics now that Hiccup was back here, she didn't want him to be scared off because of them. She had waited too long for his return, and she was not about to jeopardize it.

"Indeed," Astrid added. "The chief wants nothing but the best for him during his time here. Those are his direct orders, do not make me repeat myself."

Everyone could tell that she was being serious, Astrid was using that type of tone. They found it strange that she was so protective of this stranger, but they assumed it was because the chief had entrusted him to her. They didn't have a single clue about the truth, about their past relationship. And that's what made the secret all the more sweet.

"Yes ma'am," the twins mocked in unison.

With that Astrid nodded her head and she took several steps back to Hiccup, their hand still holding onto each other.

"Well that's all there is to see here," she commented. "Perhaps we can come back here for training later. Gobber you wouldn't mind if Cloudless came to our sessions do you?"

"Not at all lass," Gobber stated. "I'm sure he could learn a thing or two from us, especially with your skills. That is, if it's alright with him."

The crowd turned their attention back to Hiccup, this time Astrid was staring at him as well. He could see the look in her beautiful blue eyes, they were pleading for him to agree to it. She wanted him here, she wanted him to be as close to her as possible. Hiccup wasn't complaining, she was the ally he had here, even if she didn't know the entire truth. But he was conflicted as well, he didn't like the idea of training to hurt or kill dragons. He also didn't like the idea of watching anyone else do it. But once again, he had a role to play. Plus, he enjoyed being around Astrid, so that was a big bonus for him.

"Sure, I don't mind," Hiccup stated.

Hiccup could feel Astrid's grip on his hand tighten a little, the girl looked like she wanted to hug him too. But she refrained from going so as Gobber stepped forward.

"Excellent," Gobber said. "Just let me know when you'll be joining us. You'll have to watch first before I craft any sort of weapon for you though."

Hiccup didn't intend on using that weapon, he would never use a tool against a dragon. Not even his staff was a weapon, it was a way to guide dragons. However, he could use that weapon to his advantage. Training was also another great opportunity for him, he would get to see how the Vikings fought and he could teach them a thing or two on how to properly handle dragons. He had to look at the positives if he hoped to get out of here alive, along with Toothless.

And speaking of the Night Fury, he had to find him as soon as he was alone.

With that Astrid and him walked away from the group, he could hear the small whispers behind him. He knew that they were still talking about him, but that was to be expected. He knew that the village would want to know more about him as the days passed. He just hoped that none of them would get too curious, he also hoped that Drago and his men wouldn't come around for a while… at least not until he had everything figured out.

The young woman continued to show him around the village, all the while she continued to hold his hand. And he wasn't complaining, he loved this kind of contact. He had never been this intimate with a human before, let out a girl. He smiled at the thought of his father, he knew that if Cloudjumper were here he would be pushing the girl away from him. Meanwhile, Toothless would be mocking him about his "girlfriend." They were on the other side of the village now, they were standing next to some of the brush of the forest. They were out of sight from the rest of the village, it was the perfect moment for the two.

"Well that's pretty much it. If you have any other questions, come to me first," she said. "I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability."

He smiled, the same smile he had when he was a child. She remembered it well, and how she had missed it.

"Thank you," he responded. "I'll remember that… and may I ask something of you as well?"

That caught her attention, but she didn't argue against it.

"What is it?" she asked.

He then turned to her, he also took her other hand into his own. This caught her off guard but she made no attempt to push him away. His movements and actions were so gentle compared to the other men she interacted with on a regular basis. His green eyes staring into her blue eyes. Almost like the grass was staring up at the sky, two worlds coming together to form one.

"I know you have a lot of questions too," he started.

Her glance went to the ground for several seconds, almost as if she was contemplating that. But then she looked back at the young man.

"Yes," she responded. "I do."

"And I will try to answer them to the best of my ability as well," he said. "But in the meantime I'll that I ask from you is to trust me."

Trust. That was a big word, and it was a key factor in their relationship. From the very beginning Astrid had trusted him, even though she didn't know too much about him. And yet she still gave him her trust despite that fact. Now he hoped that she would still give it to him, especially when he was so close to her and her home. Their home.

Astrid looked at the stranger.

 _He wants me to trust him. Isn't that what I've been doing since the very beginning? I've given him so many chances, even though our meeting was accidental. It's not every day that I do that, normally I would have scared him off the moment I came across him. But instead, I gave him a chance and now he's etched himself into my heart. And I still can't entirely figure out why._

That's when he continued to speak.

"You're going to learn more about me Astrid," he stated. "Some of those things won't make sense to you, they're things I know that you and the rest of this village won't agree with. But it's like I told you all those years ago, I have no intention of hurting anyone here… especially not you."

She knew that was true, she didn't know how she did though. She just knew. But that didn't mean that she didn't want to know more.

"Then why are you here?" she asked. "It seems like something just keeps calling you back here. And I can't figure out what that is."

Hiccup couldn't answer that entirely, but that doesn't mean that he couldn't give her some idea. There was more to his story than just the past.

"Well," he started. "I can't deny that, there is something that always calls me back to this island."

"Well what is it?" she questioned.

Hiccup stood there silent for several seconds, what could he say to her? He couldn't tell her the whole truth now, she wouldn't believe him. She would run away and tell the village, he would have to leave if that was the case. And he couldn't let that happen.

"There are multiple reasons," he admitted. "When my dad brought me here all those years ago, I felt a connection to this land… almost like I belonged here. I was very sad when I had to leave those previous times, but I knew that my place wasn't here. I belonged with my dad and my brother, and that's why I couldn't stay."

Astrid could understand that, she wanted him to stay but she didn't want to take him away from his family. She couldn't imagine leaving her own.

 _This is probably so hard for him, he's not with his family right now. And they're probably wondering where he is at the moment, they probably think he's dead or something. I wonder if Chief Stoick and Valka feel that way about their lost child._

Her grip on his hands tightened a little in response.

"And there is another thing too," he said. "You."

Her eyes widen, and she let out a small gasp. She looked at him, almost as if she was trying to make sure that she heard him correctly. His expression was unwavering, he meant it.

"There's just something about you Astrid," he added. "Ever since the first day I met you, I could never get you out of my mind. You were always there, and there are times where I wanted to come back just so I could see you."

"Then why didn't you?" she quickly asked.

"How could I? What was I supposed to do? It's not like I could have stopped by here without anyone asking questions. They would have gotten suspicious if they knew that you knew me without any explanation why. And if they did I was worried that they would have done something to you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that happened."

The answer hurt her, but at the same time she was happy. She was happy because he admitted that he thought about her even when he wasn't here. She blushed a little at thought of it, this whole time he thought about her just as much as she thought about him. Her fears and worries were unfounded and for that she was happy.

"There so much I want to tell you Astrid… but now's not the time," he stated. "Please wait… just a little while longer."

Much longer would she have to wait? She had been doing so for over ten years now. But this wasn't like the previous times, this time he was here and everyone in the village knew about him. She had a feeling that he would be here longer than in the past, him still being here proved that. Even though she wanted to know now, she could wait. He made it perfectly obvious that he was comfortable around her, she could work with that.

"Alright," she said. "But… you better not be going anywhere."

Despite the serious atmosphere, Hiccup couldn't help but chuckle a little at that statement.

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere for a while," he replied. "You can trust me on that."

She smiled, that's when she looked around. She could see that the sun was just over them. It was afternoon, and lunch time. Her gaze returned to the boy.

"How about we get something to eat?" she suggested. "The Mead Hall had a great selection of food."

As if on cue, his stomach started to growl. He blushed with embarrassment, but Astrid just laughed.

"I could go for some lunch," he said.

"Great, but we'll take it to go. I don't want you to be nervous around all those Vikings, especially when you're going to be the center of attention."

"True," he stated.

With that Astrid led him back to the Great Hall, or as Astrid called it the Mead Hall. He walked close to her as they walked into the large building. As soon as they were inside Hiccup was in awe over the craftsmanship and architecture. It was nothing like what he was used to back at the Dragon Sanctuary. Everything there was natural and environmental, but here everything was built. Humans had to create this, it was all man-made. Even though he loved and admired his dragon home, this was truly something else. He followed Astrid as she made her way to the food selection. There were plates and bowls filled with an assortment of meats and seafood, some vegetables, and loaves of bread. There were also tankards filled with different beverages. Astrid helped him pick out the foods along with his choice of drink.

Needless to say that all eyes were on them as they made their own through the hall. Astrid worked quickly to get them their food before they headed out. They managed to avoid talking to any of the Vikings thankfully, Hiccup didn't feel like talking any more than he had to. Instead, they sat a little away from the Mead Hall, in an area where it was just the two of them. Astrid and him sat together as they enjoyed their feast. Hiccup got some yak meat along with some roasted tomatoes and a loaf bread, but his favorite part of the dish was a smoked salmon. He moaned with delight as the salmon touched his tongue. Salmon was his favorite food, his diet was very limited but it was still his favorite. Every time he ate it, he was reminded of his home and his dragon family.

Astrid saw Hiccup's expression as he ate the fish, she chuckled a little at how cute he looked as he did so. He didn't seem to be aware of what he was doing.

"So I take it that salmon is your favorite food," she commented.

Hiccup laughed a little as he finished the portion of fish.

"Yeah my dad always cooked salmon for me because of that, my brother's favorite is Icelandic cod though. We always used to eat them whenever it was a special occasion," he replied.

"I see," she said. "Your dad sounds like a great guy."

"He is," he stated.

That's when a sudden realization hit Astrid.

"You know Cloudless, I don't mean to sound offensive but I never hear you talk about your mother. It seems like it's just your father and brother, at least that's how you make it sound," she replied.

Hiccup paused a little once she said that, that was true. Never once had he mentioned a mother. That's because he didn't technically have one, he never met her before. The only thing he knew about his mother was that she got scared and tried to attack his father when he was a baby. And that's why he had the small scar on his chin. In all honesty, the closest thing he had to a mother was Clawdia, the female dragon was a key part in Hiccup and Toothless's lives. She had been there since the day they were adopted by Cloudjumper. But he supposed that it wouldn't hurt to talk more about his family life to Astrid.

"I don't have a mother," he admitted. "My brother and I were born to one… but she went away."

Astrid didn't really know what that meant but she couldn't help but feel sorry for Hiccup.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Oh don't worry, it's not like my brother and I were completely motherless. Our tribe more than made up for that fact. There's our adoptive aunt, she's my father's best friend, and she's been helping him take care of us ever since we were babies," Hiccup stated. "She's the closest thing we have to a mother, and we love her like she was one."

"Well that's good to hear, she sounds like a hardworking woman," she commented.

"You could say that," Hiccup commented as he took a drink of water.

Astrid took a bite out of her bread before turning her attention back to Hiccup. She wanted to know more about Hiccup's people, they sounded so interesting. After all they raised Hiccup, and the boy couldn't have been any more different than them. They had to be very different compared to her people, she knew that for a fact.

"So do your people have a chief or something?"

"We have a leader, he's arguably the strongest of our people. But we don't call him chief, he's more like a king," Hiccup stated.

"A king?" Astrid questioned. "Among Vikings?"

"Well yes and no, you see he didn't inherit the title like most chiefs do, he was won it. My people have a tradition where the strongest becomes the leader, anyone who thinks they're stronger than the current leader can formerly challenge them to a duel in order to decide that," he explained. "But so far there has yet to be any challengers, and so he's been the leader for a long time, even before my brother and I were born."

"Wow," Astrid stated. "He sounds like a strong person."

"In many ways he is, but he's also very kind. He cares a lot about our people and he makes sure that everyone has what they need. He's probably the most selfless person I've ever met, right after my father that is. I admire him very much, and I hope to bring make him proud one day,"

"I feel the same way about my chief, I always work hard to impress not just my peers but him as well. I want to show him that I am capable of protecting our home," she commented.

"I think you've already accomplished that," Hiccup stated. "I know I would be proud of you if I was the chief."

Astrid's cheeks flushed a little, but she enjoyed the obvious compliment. She wondered if Hiccup did this with every girl he met, she wondered if he had a special someone waiting for him back at his home. She was so tempted to ask but she couldn't, it wouldn't be right. Besides, it was none of her business.

 _Astrid Hofferson, you're better than this. Since when have you ever been concerned with the love life of another person? But still… what if there is a girl waiting for him. Compared to her I still don't know too much about him, how can I put myself on her level?_

She shook the thought out of her hair as she ate a piece of yak meat. She choose to ask another question concerning her tribe, Hiccup was more than happy to answer while still being cautious. They talked about their lives and about their homes. Hiccup even shared some stories from his childhood, they were the ones with him and his family. Astrid did the same as she talked about her parents and her childhood. They spent a good portion of the day just talking, none of them minded as time passed by without them realizing it.

But soon they realized how late it was getting, Astrid was the first to notice it. She quickly stood up from her spot and motioned for Hiccup to follow.

"Come on, I'm sure the chief and his wife are expecting you now that it's late," she said.

"Yeah probably so," he responded. "It would be rude to keep them waiting."

"Let's put our utensils away first and then I'll walk you back to the chief's house."

Hiccup nodded his head, and with that they made their way back to the Mead Hall. They quickly put away their dishes and utensils before exiting. Astrid and Hiccup walked side by side as they made their way to the chief's home. Within minutes they were there, and it was time for them to bid each other goodnight.

"Well I guess this is goodnight," she said.

"I suppose so," Hiccup replied. "I had a great time with you Astrid, I really mean that."

Astrid smiled and she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I did too," she stated. "It was good to actually spend time with you… especially after all these years."

Hiccup couldn't have agreed more with her statement, he enjoyed her company and he hoped to spend more time with her. He wanted to make up for all those years he kept away from Berk. It was the least he could do at this point, especially when she trusted him so much.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," he said.

She nodded and that's when she started to walk away.

"Goodnight Cloudless," she said.

"Goodnight Astrid," he responded.

With that she walked back to her home, her heart fluttering as she did so. She couldn't believe that she actually spent most of the day with the boy, it was wonderful. No one in this village made her feel this way, her heart was soaring and her mind raced with so many images. She never wanted this feeling to end, she hoped that it didn't have to as she walked into her home.

Hiccup felt so satisfied at the moment. He had spent most of the day with Astrid, he couldn't believe it. He learned a little more about the girl who captured his heart and thoughts. But he was also grateful for the tour, now he had a better idea on the layout of the island. It would make it easier for him to get around during his stay here. Overall, he would call this a very successful day.

At least almost successful, there was one other important matter he had to deal with. But he had to wait for a little while longer for that.

That was when he went inside the chief's home. He walked in to see Valka handling some sewing materials, she was busy constructing a blanket of some sort. That's when her eyes met his.

"Oh hello Cloudless," she stated.

"Hello," he responded.

"Did you enjoy your day with Astrid?" she asked.

"Very much," he said. "Your village is fascinating, I admire the hard work put into the architecture and layout."

"Thank you," Valka stated. "Our ancestors knew what they were doing when they choose to set up their home here. Years of hard work and determination paid off when it came to this place. I only wish that it would stay this way for years to come… especially when there's no heir apparent for the chief's position."

That caught Hiccup's attention, he noticed that there was sad gleam in Valka's eyes as she said that. He wondered if this had anything to do with the tension he felt earlier. He noticed how the chief and his wife had something holding them back, almost like they had suffered a serious loss. He didn't dare ask them about it though, he didn't want to sound intrusive. Plus, it was none of his business anyway. But that didn't mean that he couldn't be of some comfort.

"Well I think that your island is going to last for centuries to come. If any of the Vikings here are like Astrid and your husband, I'm sure of it," he said. "And like you."

Despite her hidden sadness, Valka smiled at the young man. He seemed to be working his charms on her once again. From those beautiful green eyes to his small yet muscular stature… everything about him seemed to bring warmth and hope to her heart.

"Thank you Cloudless, your presence brings comfort to me," she replied.

He smiled at her.

"If it's alright with you, I wish to retire for the day. Today was very exciting," he said.

"Of course," she stated. "Allow me to show you to your room."

Valka quit sewing and she motioned for the boy to follow her up the stairs. He was careful not to damage anything as he did so. That was when she led him to a somewhat empty room, there was a fairly new bed along with some unused furniture. It was perfect.

"This will be your room for the time being. I hope it is well suited to your needs," she said.

"Yes, thank you," Hiccup stated. "It's perfect."

"I'm glad to hear that. Please feel free to join us for dinner if you're in the mood, and if you need anything call me or Stoick."

"I will."

That was when Valka left him alone, he entered the empty room and the first thing he did was lay down on the bed. He let out a sigh of relief as he did so. It was so soft and relaxing. He didn't even take off his armor or put the blanket over him as his eyes fluttered closed. His breathing evened out and he was asleep within seconds. It was a long day for him, especially when he was being introduced to his human home. Everything was new to him… and that's why he was so exhausted. He felt like he was learning everything from scratch, it's almost like he had to forsake his identity as a dragon. A human boy with the soul of a dragon, what would the Vikings says if they heard such a thing? He didn't want to find out… not yet at least.

And so he slept and he dreamed.

Until night fell that is. Hours had passed before Hiccup woke up. He stirred a little before finally opening his eyes, he slowly sat up to see that the moon was out and shining on him. He yawned as he stretched, he felt like he got enough sleep for what he needed to do.

He had to find Toothless!

But first he had to make sure that no one was wake to stop him, slowly and carefully he got up from the bed and opened the door of his room. He took a quick peek to see that the house was lifeless, there were no signs of the chief or his wife. Plus, the fire was out and everything was silent. The coast was clear, for now.

Hiccup slowly exited his room and stepped around the house, he tried not to make the slightest of sounds. He couldn't get caught, he just couldn't. Thankfully his years of living with the dragons taught him these kind of skills, especially Toothless. The Night Fury had taught Hiccup how to stalk quietly and how to avoid detection. He was tempted to go out the door at first, but he decided against it. He was worried that someone might see him if he did so, plus the noise might wake up the couple. He looked around until he finally found his answer. There, located at the back of the house was a window. He quickly and cautiously walked over to it, he looked outside to see the beginning of the forest.

He smiled at the sight of it as he struggled to get the window open. After a few minutes of tinkering he got it open and he made his way out through it. Hiccup made sure to step quietly on the grass as he did so. Finally, he was out of the chief's house. He turned to see if there was anyone out and about, no one was there. Everyone was in their homes, sleeping for the night. Perfect.

He let out a sigh of relief, now was his chance. With that he ran as quickly as he could into the forest. He remembered the way to the cove, even after all these years he could never forget the place where it all started. It was the very same area where his father showed him his true home here on Berk. And so the human yet dragon boy ran throughout the forest, he was guided by his memories and by his heart. He hoped that Toothless was there, it was the only place he could think of at this moment. Minutes went by before the surroundings started to change, he was getting closer.

Finally, his efforts were rewarded as he saw a welcoming sight. It was the cove! A big smile spread across his face as his heart pumped faster. That was when he finally reached the edge and looked down. To his surprise and joy there he was, Toothless. The Night Fury was curled in a ball, the area around him was scorched, a common habit among dragons. He looked like he was sleeping but Hiccup didn't care. He found him, he found his brother. His language quickly switched to what he considered to be his native one.

 **"Toothless!"** exclaimed.

Toothless's appendages perked up at the sound of his name. He quickly jumped on the defensive and he scanned the area. He saw nothing on the ground but then his eyes looked up. His heart skipped a beat once he saw a familiar face. It was none other than his brother! Toothless started to jump in the air and let out cries of joy.

 **"Hiccup!"**

Hiccup laughed as he heard his name, he couldn't wait any longer. He jumped off the edge and slide down the dirt and rock. He was careful not to fall as he did so, that's when the human ran towards his dragon brother, arms wide open!

 **"Toothless!"** Hiccup cried.

 **"Hiccup!"** Toothless shouted.

The two brothers embraced each other as their bodies came in contact. Toothless pounced and started to lick Hiccup's face. Hiccup held onto Toothless's neck as they landed on the ground, the two brothers laughed and cried as they were finally reunited.

 **"Hiccup, my brother! You found me! I was waiting so long for you!"** Toothless exclaimed.

Hiccup scratched Toothless on his neck, the action made the Night Fury purr with delight.

 **"Toothless, bud, I'm so sorry. I tried to get to you sooner, please believe me when I say that."**

That's when the two brothers sat up and Hiccup continued to pat his brother's head as Toothless licked his hand.

 **"I can't believe it though,"** Hiccup stated. **"You're okay!"**

Suddenly Toothless stopped with his signs of affection, he remembered something very important. He wasn't okay, he was far from it. He remembered the injury he had sustained during their arrival on Berk. Hiccup noticed his brother's sudden change in disposition and worry swept over him.

 **"Bud? What's wrong?"**

Toothless sat up and slowly used his wings to hide his shame. That's when he moved his tail to the front, he also lifted it from the ground. He showed his brother the damage. Hiccup's eyes widen and horror spread across his face, he also let out a small gasp. His brother was missing a part of his tail! He hesitantly reached out to the appendage, Toothless shivered a little once Hiccup touched it. Hiccup was careful not to hurt the Night Fury as he examined the injury. Hiccup had been around dragons long enough to know that tails were a vital part in flying. They helped guide the dragon as they traveled through the air, and the damage was far too great to try to tend to it. Not to mention that too much time had passed.

 **"Oh bud,"** he said. **"This is bad."**

 **"I know,"** the Night Fury simply replied.

Hiccup turned to his brother and could see the genuine look of sadness in his eyes. His acid green eyes looked dull, they didn't hold the spark they once had. Hiccup gently placed a hand on his brother's face and petted him, it was a genuine sign of love and care. Hiccup couldn't imagine how Toothless felt about all of this, one of the best things about being a dragon was not being confined to the ground. Toothless lived for the flight, as did he. Together they made a great team, Hiccup was the only person to ever ride Toothless and Toothless wouldn't have it any other way. But now his tail was mangled and he lost the ability to fly. And that's not all, Toothless felt like he couldn't properly protect his brother anymore.

 _ **I'm so useless! I'm pathetic! A dragon that can't fly, how pathetic is that! Now how am I going to protect Hiccup, how am I going to get us home? What would Dad and the others think of me now?**_

The Night Fury bowed his head in shame and covered himself using his wings. He shielded away from his human brother, never in his life had he felt this way. He hated every single second of it. Hiccup could sense the inner turmoil the Night Fury was going through, he placed his hands over his wings in an attempt to look at him.

 **"Don't,"** Toothless said firmly.

 **"Toothless,"** Hiccup replied.

Toothless scooted away from Hiccup, he kept hiding himself as he did so. The action hurt Hiccup, but he was determined not to give up. He got closer to Toothless and sat right by him, he could hear the Night Fury's heartbeat. Even his heartbeat sounded different, it sounded weak and sad. A reflection of its owner. Hiccup sighed and leaned closer to his dragon brother.

 **"Toothless, you gotta come out some time."**

 **"No I don't,"** Toothless said.

 **"So what, you're just going to hide yourself from now on?"** Hiccup asked.

Anger and frustration boiled inside the young dragon, it took a lot for him not to lash out at Hiccup.

 **"In case you haven't noticed, my tail is missing! I'm literally stuck to the ground now! A dragon that can't fly! Do know how embarrassing that is?"** Toothless exclaimed.

Hiccup gave his brother a sad look and he petted his back, he knew how hard this had to be. After all, it wasn't not too long ago that they discovered Toothless's new spine ridges. Toothless took advantage of his new ability but now it seemed like such a waste. Hiccup sympathized with his brother, he knew how hard it was for Toothless. Out of all the dragons, Toothless was special, not because he was his brother but because he was the last Night Fury in the world. That was a lot of pressure for the young dragon, he had to live up to his breed's high reputation. It was Toothless's identity, it's what made him himself. Hiccup couldn't imagine losing that, but at the same time he could relate to the Night Fury.

 **"No I can't,"** Hiccup admitted. **"I may have been raised by dragons but that doesn't mean I have their abilities. You should know that better than anyone else."**

Toothless just scoffed, and he still wasn't looking at Hiccup. But the young man continued to talk.

 **"But that doesn't mean that I don't understand how it feels to be different,"** he added. **"After all I'm a human who's not a Viking. I'm a Viking with no home and no tribe, little to no connections to humans and an ally to dragons, Vikings enemies. I don't see how I can't be any more different than I already am."**

Hiccup looked at his brother, he could see that the Night Fury was loosening his hold on himself a little bit. His words were reaching his brother.

 **"And now you're a dragon that can't fly, that's different too. You may not been that way before but that doesn't mean that you weren't already different either. You were and are still the only Night Fury in the world. A Night Fury that can't fly, just like how I'm a Viking who's not a Viking. We're an odd couple you know,"** Hiccup explained.

That seemed to finally reach his brother as the Night Fury began to talk.

 **"We already were an odd couple,"** Toothless stated. **"A human and a dragon, brothers and friends. It's not every day you see that either."**

Hiccup smiled at the remark and he petted his brother. Toothless responded by finally untangling himself from his wings. The young dragon leaned into his brother's touch and purred a little. That's when the young man took Toothless's face into his hands.

 **"I swear that I'll never leave you behind bud,"** Hiccup stated firmly. **"Never. No matter if you can or can't fly, I will always stay by your side, you're my brother. My one and only brother and I love you."**

But Toothless didn't look convinced, his eyes looked away from Hiccup's. He still looked ashamed of himself.

 **"But I'm useless,"** Toothless replied.

Hiccup frowned at the very thought of that, his brother was not useless!

 **"No!"** Hiccup exclaimed. **"You are anything but useless! Never think that Toothless, I need you! I need you to be here with me!"**

Toothless was surprised by the sudden change in Hiccup's tone. Hiccup wasn't one to raise his voice, it was only when he had to and usually they were the times when he was serious. This seemed to be one of those times. Hiccup's expression softened a little as he caressed the Night Fury's face.

 **"I can't do this without you bud."**

Despite the heartache and pain he was in, Toothless scooted closer and nuzzled himself into Hiccup's embrace. He was grateful to hear that Hiccup still loved him, but he was also sad as well. Before everything seemed so clear… now, he wasn't so sure.

" **How are we going to get out of here Hiccup?"** Toothless asked. **"Heaven forbid if something goes wrong, but if it does… what are we going to do?"**

The one thing Hiccup hated about himself was that he didn't have all the answers, that's what he told the Bewilderbeast. Once again, he didn't have the answers, and it frustrated him to the extreme. He continued to pet his dragon brother.

 **"I don't know,"** he said. **"But we'll think of something. I only know that so long as we have each other, we'll be okay. At least I've got you, and you've got me, never forget that."** Hiccup stated. **"So please don't give up."**

Toothless gave his brother sad but sincere smile, Hiccup did the same.

 **"I won't,"** Toothless said. **"For you Hiccup… and for Dad and for everyone else back at the Dragon Sanctuary."**

They hugged each other, holding onto what they had. Deep down the brothers were scared, so many things had gone wrong. They didn't know what they were going to do, especially now that Toothless couldn't fly. Before they did anything else, Hiccup had to think of a way to give his brother back that ability. He had to help Toothless, he knew that there had to be a way.

Maybe something back at the village would help him, that's when he remembered the Viking named Gobber. The very same one that was teaching Astrid and the other young people, he recalled them saying that he was a blacksmith. Hiccup remembered how he said he could create anything, he created the limbs he had today! Hiccup may have found a way to help Toothless, but now he needed to figure out a way to learn those skills.

 **"Toothless… I think I have an idea."**

 **Please review and leave comments, thank you for your time.**


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